May bananas go extinct? The epidemic of Panama disease. A review

Abstract

Bananas are one of most popular fruits worldwide. Estimated export in 2020 reached a record high of 22.2 million tons, a 1.7% growth compared to 2019. They are cultivated in Asia, Africa, Australia, Latin, and South America. People value them for their taste, easy accessibility, low price, plenty of nutrients and vitamins, preparation versatility. They contain vitamins A, C, E, K and from B group, fibre, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, and potassium. In some countries bananas and plantains are the basis of diet and are consumed daily, like rice or potatoes. Unfortunately, these wonderful fruits may soon cease to exist. An illness called Panama disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum fungus is responsible for destroying 950,000 metric tonnes of crop yields annually. Previous variant of that disease almost caused a total wipeout of former mostly cultivated banana cultivar Gros Michel. In this work Panama disease history, biology, and preventionare reviewed.