The Cavendish or Dwarf Cavendish is the name for the banana cultivar used most commonly in the world banana trade. It ranges from approximately 15-25 cm in length, and is used in baking, fruit salads, fruit compotes, and to complement foods. The outer skin is partially green when sold in food markets and turns yellow when it ripens. When over-ripe, the skin will turn black and the flesh becomes mushy. Bananas ripen naturally and are at their peak ripeness when the peel is all yellow with a few dark brown specks beginning to appear. Its accepted name Musa (AAA group) 'Dwarf Cavendish'. Synonyms include:
- Musa acuminata L. A. Colla
- Musa nana J. de Loureiro (name accepted at Mobot)
- Musa nana auct. non J. de Loureiro
- Musa chinensis R. Sweet
- Musa sinensis P. A. Sagot ex J. G. Baker
- Musa sinensis P. A. Sagot
- Musa sinensis R. Sweet ex P. A. Sagot
Panama Disease
After Panama disease attacked the dominant Gros Michel variety in the 1950's, the Cavendish cultivar became the most widely cultivated banana. Because it was successfully grown in the same soils as previously affected Gros Michel plants, many presumed that the Cavendish cultivar was more resistant to Panama disease. Contrary to this notion, recent reports from Sumatra and Malaysia suggest that Cavendish-like cultivars may be vulnerable to Panama disease[1]. Because cultivated bananas are spread by conventional vegetative reproduction rather than through sexual reproduction, the Cavendish plants are genetically identical and cannot evolve disease resistance. As there is currently no effective pesticide against Panama disease, some have speculated about a future where Cavendish cultivars are not usable for farming; in such a scenario, a separate cultivar may be developed as a replacement (as happened with the Gros Michel).
References
- ^ Ploetz, R. C. 2005. Panama disease, an old nemesis rears its ugly head: Part 1, the beginnings of the banana export trades. Plant Health Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-2005-1221-01-RV.
External links
- Battling for Bananas (Panama disease and the Cavendish)
- Can This Fruit Be Saved? (June 2005 Popular Science article)
- Urban Legends Reference Pages: Food (Banana Peal) (Snopes article on banana disease)
