Do you like bananas?

[GrimJack]

The reason I ask is that the Cavendish banana is doomed. Bananapocalypse started in the same area where bananas evolved, southeast Asia; of course there is a correlation, the place where bananas evolved is where all its pathogens and parasites are there evolving right along with it. So Fusarium oxysporum as the fungus is known has wiped out all Cavendish bananas in Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Australia; it is expected that there will be no more of this banana by 2013. Once a plot has been contaminated it can't be used to produce bananas again for 30 years. It takes from 9 months to 3 years for the infestation to show; it travels dirt, weeds, water... it is carried on the shoes of workers and so on.

the Cavendish is seedless - well, almost they strained 400 tons of bananas and managed to get about 13 seeds so cross-breeding into a new species is out. Europe will not accept GMO foods and there is breed of banana waiting for its time - the last time this happened was in the 1960 with Gros Michel (Big Michael) banana blight. If you have ever had a 'real' banana you know that the seeds are huge and run the length of the banana right down the center.

Such is the problem with monocultures. There is a variety called 'goldfinger' but it does not travel as well after harvest.

[almostbob]

The only thing that knocked off Australian bananas was a cyclone
sitting in a diner, 25km north of Tennant Creek, NT, Aus, now, eating local bananas, oranges and drinking bush plum wine

[Agilemind]

Bananas are delicious but there is a reason almost all multicellular organisms use sexual reproduction. When we foolishly make crops incapable of sexual reproduction it become inevitable that the pests/pathogens will overtake them in the race for survival.

[Cross213]

Do I like bananas? Not really but I know a girl...

[GrimJack]

The only thing that knocked off Australian bananas was a cyclone
sitting in a diner, 25km north of Tennant Creek, NT, Aus, now, eating local bananas, oranges and drinking bush plum wine

Yeah, they mentioned that the local Oz bananas were wonderful but just don't travel at all well.

[pseudorandom21]

But then what will the monkeys eat?

[almostbob]

maybe they could gm the local bananas so they travel, have no seeds, and plant the same thing all over,,
or didnt they already do that, & mess up

banana brandy travels well
so do brandied oranges
the diner/roadhouse, has a substantial bar
send the monkeys over, they'd fit right in

but OffThreadAlert I am really enjoying this holiday,
one sober day,, long wait perhaps
I will get the keys to the local museum from behind the bar, go down and open it up for the day, for me and the other tourists driving the Stuart Highway to Darwin

I went into Tennant Creek, 25km, picked up my stuff shirts oranges, then stopped at the hardware store to pick up a bunch of stuff ordered for the roadhouse
The storekeeper just gave it to me
said, "you wouldn be driving Nigel's truck if you werent goin back"
The keys are left in the truck
love small towns

[darkagn]

Glad to hear you are enjoying Australia, almostbob!

Yes cyclones have been the bane of the banana here for the past few years. 5 years ago local bananas were like $1.20 for 1 kg, now they have dropped from over $11/kg to $6/kg here in South Australia in the past month, and people are saying how cheap they are!

[GrimJack]

maybe they could gm the local bananas so they travel, have no seeds, and plant the same thing all over,,
or didnt they already do that, & mess up

banana brandy travels well
so do brandied oranges
the diner/roadhouse, has a substantial bar
send the monkeys over, they'd fit right in

but OffThreadAlert I am really enjoying this holiday,
one sober day,, long wait perhaps
I will get the keys to the local museum from behind the bar, go down and open it up for the day, for me and the other tourists driving the Stuart Highway to Darwin

I went into Tennant Creek, 25km, picked up my stuff shirts oranges, then stopped at the hardware store to pick up a bunch of stuff ordered for the roadhouse
The storekeeper just gave it to me
said, "you wouldn be driving Nigel's truck if you werent goin back"
The keys are left in the truck
love small towns

Damn! I have to go back and visit Australia again. I visited in 84 and met cyclone Munie while on Green Island. The ride back to Cairns was FUN - 14 foot seas on a trimaran, it was like riding a bucking bronco. Got to hold 'the koala bear' for about 15 minutes while the zoo-keeper went to the loo. Koalas are not soft and furry; they are furry but are solid muscle.

but I digress - I like bananas and will miss them when they are gone.

[pseudorandom21]

Damn! I have to go back and visit Australia again. I visited in 84 and met cyclone Munie while on Green Island. The ride back to Cairns was FUN - 14 foot seas on a trimaran, it was like riding a bucking bronco. Got to hold 'the koala bear' for about 15 minutes while the zoo-keeper went to the loo. Koalas are not soft and furry; they are furry but are solid muscle.

but I digress - I like bananas and will miss them when they are gone.

Most animals are solid muscle, and so much badder than any human--that's why it sucks so bad to get attacked by anything, even a dog.

[Smeagel13]

Most animals are solid muscle, and so much badder than any human--that's why it sucks so bad to get attacked by anything, even a dog.

If you think about it, if we weren't as smart as we are, we would probably be doomed based on physical strength and the lack of weaponry we naturally have...

[Netcode]

Most animals are solid muscle, and so much badder than any human--that's why it sucks so bad to get attacked by anything, even a dog.

They must be feeding well, Australia is blessed with foods and wild life. Would like to visit some day at least to see some kangaroos. Never seen any my whole life

[The Dude]

I LOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVE bananas :)

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[GrimJack]

I visited Australia back in 1985 - so did cyclone Muni, it was fun! Fiji was flooded. Green Island was nearly swept clean. A tour-sized trimaran can handle 14 foot swells.

[frogboy77]

NO they are vegetables pretending to be fruit.

[almostbob]

I think I am glad animals are solid muscle, thats the part I like to eat
people
eating
tasty
animals

Roo=YUM and available at most supermarkets, cute cant compete with barbq
Emu=YUM
Australia, the coat of arms is delicious

Hit two roos in 20 minutes, coming back to the highway from ayers rock
not a dent in the roo bar, not too healthy for the roos
muscles? give me steel any day

humans are predators, and have a longer memory than any other predator, if any became a threat, we would systematically go and kill them all.
hell we destroy species by accident

for vegetarians,,, My food sh\-ts on your food, really