Banana
The genus Musa was created by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. This name may be derived from Antonius Musa, physician to the Emperor Augustus, or Linnaeus may have adapted the Arabic word for banana, mauz. The ultimate origin of musa may be in the Trans, New Guinea languages, which have words similar to muku. From there the name was borrowed into the Austronesian languages and across Asia. It traveled via the Dravidian languages of India, into Arabic as a Wanderwort. The word banana is thought to be of West African origin, possibly from the Wolof word. It passed into English via Spanish or Portuguese.
Musa is the type genus in the family Musaceae. Some 85 species of Musa were recognized by Plants of the World Online. Several produce edible fruit, while others are cultivated as ornamentals. Major edible kinds of banana are shown in boldface in phylogenomic analyses. Many cultivated bananas are hybrids of M. acuminata x M. balbisiana. Work by Li and colleagues in 2024 identifies three subspecies of M. acuminata. These include sspp. banksii, malaccensis, and zebrina. They contribute substantially to the Ban, Dh, and Ze subgenomes of triploid cultivated bananas respectively.
The earliest domestication of bananas occurred from naturally occurring parthenocarpic individuals of Musa banksii in New Guinea. These were cultivated by Papuans before the arrival of Austronesian-speakers. Numerous phytoliths of bananas have been recovered from the Kuk Swamp archaeological site. They date to around 10,000 to 6,500 BP. Foraging humans in this area began domestication in the late Pleistocene using transplantation and early cultivation methods. Various investigations including Denham et al., 2003 determine that by the early to middle of the Holocene the process was complete.
From New Guinea, cultivated bananas spread westward into Island Southeast Asia. They hybridized with other subspecies of Musa acuminata as well as M. balbisiana in the Philippines. These hybridization events produced the triploid cultivars of bananas commonly grown today. From Island Southeast Asia, they became part of the staple domesticated crops of the Austronesian peoples. They were spread via their ancient seaborne migrations and ancient maritime trading routes into Oceania, Africa, South Asia, and Indochina. Bananas are believed to have been introduced to Africa from Southeast Asia via the Austronesian settlement of Madagascar.
The earliest modern plantations originated in Jamaica and the related Western Caribbean Zone. North American shippers like Lorenzo Dow Baker and Andrew Preston started this process in the 1870s. They founded the Boston Fruit Company with the participation of railroad builders like Minor C. Keith. Development led to multi-national giant corporations like Chiquita and Dole. These companies were monopolistic and vertically integrated. They controlled growing, processing, shipping and marketing. Their political maneuvers gave rise to the term banana republic for states such as Honduras and Guatemala.
In global commerce in 2009, by far the most important cultivars belonged to the triploid Musa acuminata AAA group of Cavendish group bananas. In 2022, world production of bananas and plantains combined was 179 million tonnes. India and China led with a combined total of 26% of global production. Other major producers were Uganda, Indonesia, the Philippines, Nigeria and Ecuador. As reported for 2013, total world exports were 20 million tonnes of bananas. Ecuador and the Philippines were the leading exporters with 5.4 and 3.3 million tonnes respectively.
Panama disease is caused by a Fusarium soil fungus which enters plants through roots. It travels with water into the trunk and leaves producing gels that cut off flow of water and nutrients. Prior to 1960 almost all commercial banana production centered on the Gros Michel cultivar. This variety was highly susceptible. Cavendish was chosen as replacement because it produces highest quality fruit among resistant cultivars. Fusarium wilt TR4 was discovered in 1993. This virulent form has destroyed Cavendish plantations in several southeast Asian countries.
Black sigatoka is a fungal leaf spot disease first observed in Fiji in 1963 or 1964. It affects all main cultivars including Cavendish impeding photosynthesis by blackening parts of leaves. Starved for energy fruit production falls by 50% or more. The fungus has shown ever-increasing resistance to treatment. Spraying with fungicides may be required as often as 50 times a year. The Honduran Foundation for Agricultural Research has bred a seedless banana resistant to both Panama disease and black Sigatoka disease. They obtained around 15 seeds from some 30,000 cultivated plants pollinated by hand.
A raw banana contains 75% water and 23% carbohydrates. A reference amount supplies 89 calories and 24% of Daily Value of vitamin B6. Bananas are staple starch for many tropical populations. Depending upon cultivar and ripeness flesh can vary in taste from starchy to sweet. Pisang goreng bananas fried with batter is popular street food in Southeast Asia. Banana chips are snack produced from sliced and fried bananas such as in Kerala. Dried bananas are ground to make banana flour.
In Africa matoke bananas are cooked in sauce with meat and vegetables like peanuts or beans to make katogo. In Western countries bananas used to make desserts such as banana bread. Banana flowers also called banana hearts are used as vegetable in South Asian cuisine. Their flavor resembles that of artichoke. Both fleshy part of bracts and heart are edible. Banana leaves are large flexible and waterproof. They often serve as ecologically friendly disposable food containers in South Asia.
Fiber harvested from pseudostems and leaves of abacá banana has been used for textiles in Philippines since ancient times. Archaeological evidence of cloth-weaving tools like spindle whorls date back to period between 1000 BC and 500 AD in Philippines. Abacá bananas are main source of fibers for traditional textiles still woven among various ethnic groups of Philippines. Examples include t'nalak made by Tiboli tribe of South Cotabato. Dagmay is another example made by Bagobo people.
The oldest surviving example of textile made from banana fibers is Banton Burial Cloth recovered from coffin in sacred Ipot Cave of Banton Romblon Philippines. It dates to around 13th and 14th centuries. Abacá textiles were mentioned numerous times in Spanish colonial records in Philippines since 16th century. By 19th century abacá fiber had become one of most important economic exports of Philippines. They were in demand due to strength and saltwater-resistance. Outside Philippines abacá was first cultivated on large scale in Sumatra in 1925 under Dutch.
Edo period poet Matsuo Bashō is named after Japanese word for Japanese banana. The plant planted in his garden became source of inspiration to his poetry as well as symbol of life and home. Song Yes! We Have No Bananas written by Frank Silver and Irving Cohn originally released in 1923. For many decades it was best-selling sheet music in history. A person slipping on banana peel has been staple of physical comedy for generations. An American comedy recording from 1910 features Uncle Josh claiming to describe such incident.
In India bananas serve prominent part in many festivals and occasions of Hindus. In South Indian weddings particularly Tamil weddings banana trees tied in pairs form arch blessing couple for long-lasting useful life. In Thailand believed certain type banana plant inhabited by spirit Nang Tani manifesting itself as young woman. People often tie length colored satin cloth around pseudostem of banana plants. In European British and Australian sport throwing banana at member opposing team used as form racial abuse meant taunt players Black African ancestry equating them apes or monkeys.
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Common questions
Who created the genus name Musa for bananas in 1753?
Carl Linnaeus created the genus Musa in 1753. The name may be derived from Antonius Musa, physician to Emperor Augustus, or adapted from the Arabic word mauz.
When did the earliest domestication of bananas occur in New Guinea?
The earliest domestication occurred between 10,000 and 6,500 BP at the Kuk Swamp archaeological site. Foraging humans began this process during the late Pleistocene using transplantation methods.
Which countries led global banana production in 2022?
India and China led global production with a combined total of 26% in 2022. Other major producers included Uganda, Indonesia, the Philippines, Nigeria, and Ecuador.
What caused the shift from Gros Michel to Cavendish bananas before 1960?
Panama disease caused by Fusarium soil fungus destroyed almost all commercial Gros Michel plantations prior to 1960. Cavendish was chosen as replacement because it produces high quality fruit among resistant cultivars.
How many times per year might farmers spray fungicides for Black Sigatoka disease?
Spraying with fungicides may be required as often as 50 times a year due to increasing resistance. This fungal leaf spot first appeared in Fiji in 1963 or 1964 and reduces fruit production by over 50%.