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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Banana
| image = Luxor, Banana Island, Banana Tree, Egypt, Oct 2004.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = Banana plant
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Liliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Zingiberales]]
| familia = [[Musaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Musa (Musaceae)|Musa]]''
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
Hybrid origin; see text
}}
'''Banana''' is the [[common name]] used for [[herbaceous]], [[Cultigen|cultigenic]] plants in the [[genus]] ''[[Musa (Musaceae)|Musa]]'', and is also the name given the [[fruit]] of these plants.
Banana plants are of the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Musaceae]]. They are cultivated primarily for their fruit, and to a lesser extent for the production of fibre and as ornamental plants. They are native to [[Tropics|tropical]] southeastern [[Asia]] but are widely cultivated in tropical regions. Because of their size and structure, banana plants are often mistaken for [[tree]]s. The main or upright growth is called a ''pseudostem'', which when mature, for some species can obtain a height of up to 2–8 m, with [[leaf|leaves]] of up to 3.5 m in length. Each pseudostem produces a single bunch of bananas, before dying and being replaced by a new pseudostem. The base of the plant is a [[rhizome]] (known as a [[corm]]). Corms are perennial, with a productive lifespan of 15 years or more.
The banana fruit grow in hanging clusters, with up to 20 fruit to a tier (called a ''hand''), and 3-20 tiers to a bunch. The total of the hanging clusters is known as a bunch, or commercially as a "banana stem", and can weigh from 30–50 kg. The fruit averages 125 g, of which approximately 75% is water and 25% dry matter content. Each individual fruit (or 'finger', or in common usage 'banana') has a protective outer layer (a [[peel]] or [[skin]]) with a fleshy edible inner portion. Typically the fruit has numerous strings (called 'phloem bundles') which run between the skin and the edible portion of the banana, and which are commonly removed individually after the skin is removed. Bananas are a valuable source of [[Vitamin A]], [[Vitamin B6]], [[Vitamin C]], and [[potassium]].
Bananas are grown in 132 countries worldwide, more than any other fruit crop. In popular culture and commerce, "banana" usually refers to soft, sweet "dessert" bananas that are usually eaten raw. The bananas from a group of cultivars with firmer, starchier fruit are generally used in cooking rather than eaten raw. Bananas may also be dried and ground into banana flour.
Although the wild species have fruits with numerous large, hard seeds, virtually all culinary bananas have [[seedless fruit]]s. Bananas are classified either as dessert bananas (meaning they are yellow and fully ripe when eaten) or as green cooking bananas. Almost all export bananas are of the dessert types; however, only about 10-15% of all production is for [[export]], with the [[United States|U.S.]] and [[EU]] being the dominant buyers.
[[Image:Inside a wild-type banana.jpg|thumb|250px|Fruits of wild-type bananas have numerous large, hard seeds.]]
==Properties==
{{nutritionalvalue | name=Banana, raw | kJ=371| protein=1.09 g | fat=0.33 g | carbs=22.84 g | fiber=2.6 g | | sugars=12.23 g | iron_mg=0.26| calcium_mg=5 | magnesium_mg=27 | phosphorus_mg=22 | potassium_mg=358 | zinc_mg=0.15 | vitC_mg=8.7 | pantothenic_mg=0.334 | vitB6_mg=0.367 | folate_ug=20 | thiamin_mg=0.031 | riboflavin_mg=0.073 | niacin_mg=0.665 | right=1 | source_usda=1 }}
Bananas come in a variety of sizes and [[color]]s; most cultivars are yellow when ripe but some are red or purple-ish. The ripe fruit is easily peeled and eaten raw or cooked. Depending upon cultivar and ripeness, the flesh can be starchy to sweet, and firm to mushy. Unripe or "green" bananas and plantains are used in cooking and are the staple [[starch]] of many [[tropical]] populations.
Most production for local sale is of green cooking bananas and plantains, as ripe dessert bananas are easily damaged while be
ing transported to market. Even when only transported within their country of origin, ripe bananas suffer a high rate of damage and loss.
The commercial dessert cultivars most commonly eaten in [[temperate]] countries (species ''Musa acuminata'' or the [[hybrid]] ''Musa × paradisiaca'', a [[cultigen]]) are imported in large quantities from the [[tropics]]. They are popular in part because being a non-seasonal crop they are available fresh year-round. In global commerce, by far the most important of these banana [[cultivar]]s is '[[Cavendish banana|Cavendish]]', which accounts for the vast bulk of bananas exported from the tropics. The Cavendish gained popularity in the [[1950]]s after the previously mass produced cultivar, [[Gros Michel]], was destroyed by [[Panama disease]], a fungus which attacks the roots of the banana plant.
The most important properties making 'Cavendish' the main export banana are related to transport and shelf life rather than taste; major commercial cultivars rarely have a superior flavour compared to the less widespread cultivars. Export bananas are picked green, and then usually ripened in ripening rooms when they arrive in their country of destination. These are special rooms made air-tight and filled with [[ethylene]] gas to induce ripening. Bananas can be ordered by the retailer "ungassed", however, and may show up at the supermarket still fully green. While these bananas will ripen more slowly, the flavour will be notably richer, and the banana peel can be allowed to reach a yellow/brown speckled phase, and yet retain a firm flesh inside. Thus, shelf life is somewhat extended. The flavour and texture of bananas are affected by the temperature at which they ripen. Bananas are refrigerated to between 13.5 and 15 °C (57 and 59 °F) during transportation. At lower temperatures, the ripening of bananas permanently stalls, and the bananas will eventually turn grey.
[[Image:Banane Rose.JPG|thumb|250px|right|Certain banana cultivars turn red or purplish instead of yellow as they ripen.]]
It should be noted that ''Musa × paradisiaca'' is also the generic name for the common [[plantain]], a coarser and starchier variant not to be confused with ''Musa acuminata'' or the Cavendish variety. Plantains have all but replaced the Cavendish in markets dominated by supply-side logistics.
In addition to the fruit, the [[flower]] of the banana plant (also known as ''banana blossom'' or ''banana heart'') is used in [[Southeast Asia]]n, [[Bengali cuisine|Bengali]] and [[Kerala]] (India) cuisine, either served raw with dips or cooked in soups and curries. The tender core of the banana plant's trunk is also used, notably in the [[Myanmar|Burmese]] dish [[mohinga]], Bengali and Kerala cooking. [[Pisang goreng|Bananas fried with batter]] is a popular dessert in [[Malaysia]], [[Singapore]] and [[Indonesia]]. Banana fritters can be served with ice-cream as well. Bananas are also eaten deep fried, baked in their skin in a split bamboo, or steamed in [[glutinous rice]] wrapped in a banana leaf in [[Myanmar]] where bunches of green bananas surrounding a green coconut in a tray is an important part of traditional offerings to the [[Buddha]] and the [[Nat (spirit)]]s. The juice extract prepared from the tender core is used to treat kidney stones.
[[Image:IMG banana-offering.JPG|thumb|left|Traditional offerings of bananas and coconut at a Nat spirit shrine in Myanmar]]
The [[Leaf|leaves]] of the banana are large, flexible, and waterproof; they are used in many ways, including as [[umbrella]]s and to wrap food for cooking. [[China|Chinese]] [[zongzi]] (bamboo leaves are more commonly used where available) and [[Central America]]n [[tamale]]s are sometimes [[steaming|steamed]] in banana leaves, and the [[Hawaii]]an [[kalua|imu]] is often lined with them. [[Puerto Rico|Puerto Rican]] "pasteles" are boiled wrapped and tied inside the leaf.
[[Banana chips]] are a snack produced from dehydrated or fried banana or, preferably, plantain slices, which have a dark brown colour and an intense banana taste. Bananas hav
e also been used in the making of [[jam]]. Unlike other fruits, it is difficult to extract juice from bananas because when compressed a banana simply turns to pulp.
Seeded bananas (''Musa balbisiana''), considered to be one of the forerunners of the common domesticated banana, are sold in markets in Indonesia.
It is reported that in [[Orissa]], [[India]], juice is extracted from the [[corm]] and used as a [[home remedy]] for the treatment of [[jaundice]]. In other places [[honey]] is mixed with mashed banana fruit and used for the same purpose.
==Trade==
[[Image:Banana sorting.jpg|thumb|right|250 px|Women in Belize sorting bananas and cutting them from bunches.]]
{| class="wikitable" align=left style="clear:left"
! colspan=2|Top Banana Producing Nations - 2005<br>(in million metric tons)
|-
| {{IND}} || align="right" | 16.8
|-
| {{BRA}} || align="right" | 6.7
|-
| {{CHN}} || align="right" | 6.4
|-
| {{ECU}} || align="right" | 5.9
|-
| {{PHI}} || align="right" | 5.8
|-
| {{IDN}} || align="right" | 4.5
|-
| {{CRC}} || align="right" | 2.2
|-
| {{MEX}} || align="right" | 2.0
|-
| {{THA}} || align="right" | 2.0
|-
| {{COL}}|| align="right" | 1.6
|-
| {{BDI}}|| align="right" |1.6
|-
|'''World Total''' || align="right" | '''72.5'''
|-
|colspan=2| ''Source: UN Food & Agriculture Organisation''<ref>{{cite web |title = FAOSTAT: ProdSTAT: Crops |publisher = [[UN Food & Agriculture Organisation]] |date = 2005 |url = http://faostat.fao.org/site/567/DesktopDefault.aspx?PageID=567 |accessdate = 09-12-2006}}</ref>
|}
Bananas and plantains constitute a major staple [[food crop]] for millions of people in [[developing countries]]. In most tropical countries green (unripe) bananas used for [[cooking]] represent the main [[cultivar]]s. Cooking bananas are very similar to [[potato]]es in how they are used. Both can be [[frying|fried]], [[boiled]], [[baked]] or chipped and have similar [[taste]] and texture when served. One green cooking banana has about the same [[calorie]] content as one potato.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
In [[2003]], [[India]] led the world in banana production, representing approximately 23% of the worldwide crop, most of which was for domestic consumption. The four leading banana exporting countries were [[Ecuador]], [[Costa Rica]], [[Philippines]], and [[Colombia]], which accounted for about two-thirds of the world's exports, each exporting more than 1 million tons. Ecuador alone provided more than 30% of global banana exports, according to [[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]] statistics.
[[Image:Bananas.jpg|thumb|left|250 px|Bananas in a grocery store]]
The vast majority of producers are small-scale [[farmer]]s growing the crop either for home consumption or for local markets. Because bananas and plantains will produce fruit year-round, they provide an extremely valuable source of food during the hunger season (that period of time when all the food from the previous harvest has been consumed, and the next harvest is still some time away). It is for these reasons that bananas and plantains are of major importance to [[food security]].
Bananas are among the most widely consumed foods in the world. Most banana farmers receive a low unit price for their produce as supermarkets buy enormous quantities and receive a discount for that business. Competition amongst [[supermarkets]] has led to reduced margins in recent years which in turn has led to lower prices for growers. [[Chiquita Brands International|Chiquita]], [[Fresh Del Monte Produce|Del Monte]], [[Dole Food Company|Dole]] and [[Fyffes]] grow their own bananas in Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Honduras. Banana plantations are capital intensive and demand high expertise so the majority of independent growers are large and wealthy landowners of these countries. This has led to bananas being available as a "[[fair trade]]" item in some countries.
The banana has an extensive trade history beginning with the founding of the [[United Fruit Company]] (now Chiquita) at the end of the nineteenth century. For much of the [[20th century]], bananas
and [[coffee]] dominated the export economies of Central America. In the [[1930s]], bananas and coffee made up as much as 75 percent of the region's exports. As late as [[1960]], the two crops accounted for 67 percent of the exports from the region. Though the two were grown in similar regions, they tended not to be distributed together. The [[United Fruit Company]] based its business almost entirely on the banana trade, as the coffee trade proved too difficult for it to control. The term "[[banana republic]]" has been broadly applied to most countries in Central America, but from a strict economic perspective only Costa Rica, Honduras, and Panama were actual "banana republics", countries with economies dominated by the banana trade.
The countries of the [[European Union]] have traditionally imported many of their bananas from the former European island colonies of the Caribbean, paying guaranteed prices above global market rates. As of 2005 these arrangements were in the process of being withdrawn under pressure from other major trading powers, principally the United States. The withdrawal of these indirect subsidies to Caribbean producers is expected to favour the banana producers of Central America, in which American companies have an economic interest.
==Cultivation==
[[image:bananacorms.jpg|thumb|left|Banana [[corm]]s.]]
While the original bananas contained rather large seeds, [[polyploid|triploid]] (and thus seedless) cultivars have been selected for human consumption. These are propagated [[asexual reproduction|asexually]] from offshoots of the plant. The plant is allowed to produce 2 shoots at a time; a larger one for fruiting immediately and a smaller "sucker" or "follower" that will produce fruit in 6–8 months time. The life of a banana plantation is 25 years or longer, during which time the individual stools or planting sites may move slightly from their original positions as lateral rhizome formation dictates. Latin Americans sometimes comment that the plants are "walking" over time.
Cultivated bananas are ''[[parthenocarpy|parthenocarpic]]'', which makes them sterile and unable to produce viable seeds. Lacking seeds, another form of propagation is required. This involves removing and transplanting part of the underground stem (called a [[corm]]). Usually this is done by carefully removing a sucker (a vertical shoot that develops from the base of the banana pseudostem) with some roots intact. However, small sympodial corms, representing not yet elongated suckers, are harder to transplant and can be left out of the ground for up to 2 weeks; they require minimal care and can be boxed together for shipment.
In some countries, bananas are commercially propagated by means of tissue culture. This method is preferred since it ensures disease-free planting material. When using vegetative parts such as suckers for propagation, there is a risk of transmitting diseases (especially the devastating Panama disease).
== Pests, diseases and natural disasters ==
{{Main|List of banana and plantain diseases}}
[[Image:BananasBlueBagStLucia.jpg|thumb|Banana bunches are sometimes encased in plastic bags for protection. The bags may be coated with [[pesticides]].]]
[[Image:Banana trees.jpg|thumb|Inspecting bananas for fruit flies.]]
While in no danger of outright extinction, the most common edible banana cultivar 'Cavendish' (extremely popular in Europe and the Americas) could become unviable for large-scale cultivation in the next 10-20 years. Its predecessor 'Gros Michel', discovered in the 1820s, has already suffered this fate. Like almost all bananas, it lacks genetic diversity, which makes it vulnerable to diseases, which threaten both commercial cultivation and the small-scale subsistence farming.<ref>{{cite news | title =A future with no bananas? | language = English | publisher = [[New Scientist]] | date = 13 May, 2006 | url =http://www.newscientist.com/channel/earth/dn9152-a-future-with-no-bananas.html | accessdate = 09-12-2006 }}</ref><!----><ref>{{cite news | last = Montpellier | first = Emile Frison | title =Resc
uing the banana | language = English | publisher = [[New Scientist]] | date = 8 February 2003 | url = http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg17723813.300-rescuing-the-banana.html | accessdate = 09-12-2006}}</ref> Major diseases include:
* [[Panama disease|Panama Disease]] (Race 1) – [[fusarium wilt]] (a [[soil]] [[fungus]]). The fungus enters the [[plants]] through the [[root]]s and moves up with water into the trunk and leaves, producing gels and gums. These plug and cut off the flow of water and [[nutrients]], causing the plant to [[wilt]]. Prior to [[1960]] almost all commercial banana production centered on the cultivar '[[Gros Michel]]', which was highly susceptible to fusarium wilt. The cultivar 'Cavendish' was chosen as a replacement for 'Gros Michel' because out of the resistant cultivars it was viewed as producing the highest quality [[fruit]]. However, more care is required for shipping the 'Cavendish' banana and its quality compared to 'Gros Michel' is debated.
* Tropical Race 4 - a reinvigorated strain of [[Panama disease|Panama Disease]] first discovered in 1993. This is a virulent form of fusarium wilt that has wiped out 'Cavendish' in several southeast Asian countries. It has yet to reach the Americas; however, soil fungi can easily be carried on [[boots]], [[clothing]], or [[tool]]s. This is how Tropical Race 4 moves from one plantation to another and is its most likely route into Latin America. The Cavendish cultivar is highly susceptible to TR4, and over time, Cavendish is almost certain to be eliminated from commercial production by this disease. Unfortunately the only known defense to TR4 is genetic resistance.
* [[Black Sigatoka]] - a fungal leaf spot disease first observed in [[Fiji]] in [[1963]] or [[1964]]. Black Sigatoka (also known as Black Leaf Streak) has spread to banana plantations throughout the tropics due to infected banana leaves being used as packing material. It affects all of the main cultivars of bananas and [[plantains]], impeding [[photosynthesis]] by turning parts of their leaves black, and eventually killing the entire leaf. Being starved for energy, fruit production falls by 50% or more, and the bananas that do grow suffer premature [[ripening]], making them unsuitable for [[export]]. The fungus has shown ever increasing resistance to fungicidal treatment, with the current expense for treating 1 hectare exceeding US$1000 per year. In addition to the financial expense there is the question of how long such intensive spraying can be justified environmentally. Several resistant cultivars of banana have been developed, but none has yet received wide scale commercial acceptance due to taste and texture issues.
* Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) - this [[virus]] is spread from plant to plant by [[aphids]]. It causes stunting of the leaves resulting in a "bunched" appearance. Generally, a banana plant infected with the virus will not set fruit, although mild strains exist in many areas which do allow for some fruit production. These mild strains are often mistaken for malnourishment, or a disease other than BBTV. There is no cure for BBTV, however its effect can be minimised by planting only tissue cultured plants (In-vitro propagation), controlling the aphids, and immediately removing and destroying any plant from the field that shows signs of the disease.
* It is common for fruit exports to contain minor traces of chemicals from their home countries, as has been the recent case within the Russian village of Kholuy. Minor traces of the radioactive substance [[trininite]] were spread by the wind over the town's main banana field; however, no serious problems occurred
Even though it is no longer viable for large scale cultivation, 'Gros Michel' is not extinct and is still grown in areas where Panama Disease is not found. Likewise, 'Cavendish' is in no danger of extinction, but it may leave the shelves of the supermarkets for good if diseases make it impossible to supply the global market. It is unclear if any existing cultivar can replace 'Cavendish' on a scale needed to fill current dem
and, so various hybridisation and genetic engineering programs are working on creating a disease-resistant, mass-market banana.
Australia is relatively free of plant diseases and therefore prohibits imports. When [[Cyclone Larry]] wiped out Australia's domestic banana crop in 2006, bananas became relatively expensive, due to low supply domestically, and laws prohibiting banana imports.
{{clear}}
==Effects of banana diseases in East Africa==
[[Image:FHIA-17.jpg|thumb|right|Tanzanian farmers with 92 kg (200 lb) bunch of FHIA-17 bananas.]]
Most bananas grown worldwide are used for local consumption. In the tropics, bananas, especially cooking bananas, represent a major source of food, as well as a major source of income for smallholder farmers. It is in the East African highlands that bananas reach their greatest importance as a staple food crop. In countries such as [[Uganda]], [[Burundi]] and [[Rwanda]] per capita consumption has been estimated at 450 kg per year, the highest in the world. Ugandans use the same word "matooke" to describe both banana and food.
In the past, the banana was a highly sustainable crop with a long plantation life and stable yields year round. However with the arrival of the [[Black Sigatoka]] fungus, banana production in eastern Africa has fallen by over 40%. For example during the 1970s, Uganda produced 15 to 20 tonnes of bananas per hectare. Today production has fallen to only 6 tonnes per hectare.
The situation has started to improve as new disease resistant cultivars have been developed such as the [[FHIA-17]] (known in Uganda as the Kabana 3). These new cultivars taste different from the traditionally grown banana which has slowed their acceptance by local farmers. However, by adding [[mulch]] and animal [[manure]] to the soil around the base of the banana plant, these new cultivars have substantially increased yields in the areas where they have been tried.
The [[Rockefeller Foundation]] has started trials for [[genetically modified]] banana plants that are resistant to both Black Sigatoka and banana weevils. It is developing cultivars specifically for smallholder or subsistence farmers.
==Fibre==
[[Image:M. acuminata x balbisiana.JPG|right|thumb|''M. acuminata x balbisiana'' flower, partially opened.]]
The banana plant has long been a source of fibre for high quality textiles. In Japan, the cultivation of banana for clothing and household use dates back to at least the 13th century. In the Japanese system, leaves and shoots are cut from the plant periodically to ensure softness. The harvested shoots must first be boiled in [[lye]] to prepare the fibres for the making of the yarn. These banana shoots produce fibres of varying degrees of softness, yielding yarns and textiles with differing qualities for specific uses. For example, the outermost fibres of the shoots are the coarsest, and are suitable for tablecloths, whereas the softest innermost fibres are desirable for [[kimono]] and [[kamishimo]]. This traditional Japanese banana cloth making process requires many steps, all performed by hand.<ref>{{cite web |title =Traditional Crafts of Japan - Kijoka Banana Fiber Cloth |publisher = Association for the Promotion of Traditional Craft Industries |date = |url = http://www.kougei.or.jp/english/crafts/0130/f0130.html |accessdate = 11-12-2006}}</ref>
In another system employed in Nepal, the trunk of the banana plant is harvested instead, small pieces of which are subjected to a softening process, mechanical extraction of the fibres, bleaching, and drying. After that, the fibres are sent to the [[Kathmandu valley]] for the making of high end rugs with a textural quality similar to silk. These banana fibre rugs are woven by the traditional Nepalese hand-knotted methods, and are sold [[rugmark|RugMark certified]].
Banana fibre is also used in the production of [[banana paper]].
==Popular culture==
===Banana peels===
The depiction of a person slipping on a banana peel has been a staple of [[physical comedy]] for generations. A [[1906]] comedy record produced by [[Edison Record
s]] features a popular character of the time, "[[Cal Stewart]]", claiming to describe his own such incident, saying:
:I don't think much of a man what throws a bananer peelin' on the sidewalk, and I don't think much of a bananer what throws a man on the sidewalk, neether. ... my foot hit that bananer peelin' and I went up in the air, and cum down ker-plunk, and fer about a minnit I seen all the stars what stronomy tells about, and some that haint been discovered yit. Wall jist as I wuz pickin' myself up a little boy cum runnin' cross the street and he sed "Oh mister, won't you please do that agin, my mother didn't see you do it.
===Stereotypes===
*Because of the stereotypical image of [[monkey]]s and [[ape]]s eating bananas, they have been used for [[racism|racist]] insults, such as throwing bananas at sports players of [[Africa]]n descent.<ref>{{cite news | last = Green | first = Alan | title = Society has to change - Barnes | language = English | publisher = BBC SPORT | date = 4 November, 2002 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_radio/world_football/2399629.stm | accessdate = 09-12-2006}}</ref>
*In the Asian community, a banana is a slang term which is used to describe an Asian person who acts like a [[White people|white person]], as is the term [[Twinkie (slur)|twinkie]].
===The arts===
*The [[The Velvet Underground & Nico|debut album]] of [[The Velvet Underground]] features a banana on the cover.
*[[Deep Purple]] released an album in 2003 entitled ''[[Bananas (album)|Bananas]]''.
===Symbols===
Bananas are also humorously used as a [[phallic symbol]] due to similarities in size and shape. This is typified by the artwork of the [[The Velvet Underground and Nico|debut album]] of [[The Velvet Underground]], which features a banana on the front cover, yet on the original LP version, the design allowed the listener to 'peel' this banana to find a pink, phallic structure on the inside.
==See also==
*[[Isoamyl acetate]]
*[[Banana messenger]]
*[[Ensete|Enset]] (''false banana'')
*[[Bananadine]] - a hoax that smoking banana peels gives hallucinogenic effects.
*[[Plantain]]
==References==
<!-- ----------------------------------------------------------
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<div class="references-small">
<references />
*FAO. [http://www.fao.org/es/esc/en/20953/20987/highlight_28367en.html Bananas Commodity notes: Final results of the 2003 season], 2004
*Denham, T., Haberle, S. G., Lentfer, C., Fullagar, R., Field, J., Porch, N., Therin, M., Winsborough B., and Golson, J. Multi-disciplinary Evidence for the Origins of Agriculture from 6950-6440 Cal BP at Kuk Swamp in the Highlands of New Guinea. ''Science'', June 2003 issue.
* Skidmore, T., Smith, P. - ''Modern Latin America'' (5th edition), (2001) New York: Oxford University Press)
* {{cite journal | author=Editors | title=Banana fiber rugs | journal=[[Dwell (magazine)|Dwell]] | year=2006 | volume=6 | issue=7 | pages= 44}} Brief mention of banana fibre rugs
*{{cite journal | author=Leibling, Robert W. and Pepperdine, Donna | title=Natural remedies of Arabia | journal=[[Saudi Aramco World]] | year=2006 | volume=57 | issue=5 | pages= 14}} Banana etymology, banana flour
</div>
{{Citations missing|date=December 2006}}
== External links ==
{{wiktionary}}
{{Commons|Banana}}
* [http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-B00001-01c20Tm.html Complete nutritional information.]
*[http://www.iita.org/cms/details/banana_plantain_details.aspx?newsid=268&zoneid=66&activity=Banana%20and%20plantain%20systems&a=184 Banana research at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)]
* [http://www.inibap.org/ International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain (INIBAP)]
* [http://www.bananas.org/ International Banana Society (IBS)]
* [http://www.honduras.com/fhia/banana.htm Honduran Foundation of Agricultural Resea
rch: Bananas & Plantains]
* [http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/banana.html Banana from ''Fruits of Warm Climates'' by Julia Morton]
* [http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/banana.html Banana Fruit Facts - California Rare Fruit Growers].
*[http://www.pacificbiological.org.au/projects/PBF_02_3/pbf_02_3.htm Tracing antiquity of banana cultivation in Papua New Guinea]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2664373.stm Bananas could split for good]
* [http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/news/2003/13120-en.html Bananas not on verge of extinction, says FAO].
* [http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-02/aps-ppu021403.php Plant pathologists unpeel rumors of banana extinction]
* [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8044524&dopt=Abstract The influence of banana stem extract on urinary risk factors for stones]
* [http://www.kougei.or.jp/english/crafts/0130/f0130.html Weaving Kijoka Banana Fiber Cloth]
[[Category:Bananas|*]]
[[Category:Zingiberales]]
[[Category:Fruit]]
[[Category:Tropical agriculture]]
[[Category:Inflorescence vegetables]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = Banana
| image = Luxor, Banana Island, Banana Tree, Egypt, Oct 2004.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = Banana plant
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Liliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Zingiberales]]
| familia = [[Musaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Musa (Musaceae)|Musa]]''
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
Hybrid origin; see text
}}
'''Banana''' is the [[common name]] used for [[herbaceous]], [[Cultigen|cultigenic]] plants in the [[genus]] ''[[Musa (Musaceae)|Musa]]'', and is also the name given the [[fruit]] of these plants.
Banana plants are of the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Musaceae]]. They are cultivated primarily for their fruit, and to a lesser extent for the production of fibre and as ornamental plants. They are native to [[Tropics|tropical]] southeastern [[Asia]] but are widely cultivated in tropical regions. Because of their size and structure, banana plants are often mistaken for [[tree]]s. The main or upright growth is called a ''pseudostem'', which when mature, for some species can obtain a height of up to 2–8 m, with [[leaf|leaves]] of up to 3.5 m in length. Each pseudostem produces a single bunch of bananas, before dying and being replaced by a new pseudostem. The base of the plant is a [[rhizome]] (known as a [[corm]]). Corms are perennial, with a productive lifespan of 15 years or more.
The banana fruit grow in hanging clusters, with up to 20 fruit to a tier (called a ''hand''), and 3-20 tiers to a bunch. The total of the hanging clusters is known as a bunch, or commercially as a "banana stem", and can weigh from 30–50 kg. The fruit averages 125 g, of which approximately 75% is water and 25% dry matter content. Each individual fruit (or 'finger', or in common usage 'banana') has a protective outer layer (a [[peel]] or [[skin]]) with a fleshy edible inner portion. Typically the fruit has numerous strings (called 'phloem bundles') which run between the skin and the edible portion of the banana, and which are commonly removed individually after the skin is removed. Bananas are a valuable source of [[Vitamin A]], [[Vitamin B6]], [[Vitamin C]], and [[potassium]].
Bananas are grown in 132 countries worldwide, more than any other fruit crop. In popular culture and commerce, "banana" usually refers to soft, sweet "dessert" bananas that are usually eaten raw. The bananas from a group of cultivars with firmer, starchier fruit are generally used in cooking rather than eaten raw. Bananas may also be dried and ground into banana flour.
Although the wild species have fruits with numerous large, hard seeds, virtually all culinary bananas have [[seedless fruit]]s. Bananas are classified either as dessert bananas (meaning they are yellow and fully ripe when eaten) or as green cooking bananas. Almost all export bananas are of the dessert types; however, only about 10-15% of all production is for [[export]], with the [[United States|U.S.]] and [[EU]] being the dominant buyers.
[[Image:Inside a wild-type banana.jpg|thumb|250px|Fruits of wild-type bananas have numerous large, hard seeds.]]
==Properties==
{{nutritionalvalue | name=Banana, raw | kJ=371| protein=1.09 g | fat=0.33 g | carbs=22.84 g | fiber=2.6 g | | sugars=12.23 g | iron_mg=0.26| calcium_mg=5 | magnesium_mg=27 | phosphorus_mg=22 | potassium_mg=358 | zinc_mg=0.15 | vitC_mg=8.7 | pantothenic_mg=0.334 | vitB6_mg=0.367 | folate_ug=20 | thiamin_mg=0.031 | riboflavin_mg=0.073 | niacin_mg=0.665 | right=1 | source_usda=1 }}
Bananas come in a variety of sizes and [[color]]s; most cultivars are yellow when ripe but some are red or purple-ish. The ripe fruit is easily peeled and eaten raw or cooked. Depending upon cultivar and ripeness, the flesh can be starchy to sweet, and firm to mushy. Unripe or "green" bananas and plantains are used in cooking and are the staple [[starch]] of many [[tropical]] populations.
Most production for local sale is of green cooking bananas and plantains, as ripe dessert bananas are easily damaged while be
ing transported to market. Even when only transported within their country of origin, ripe bananas suffer a high rate of damage and loss.
The commercial dessert cultivars most commonly eaten in [[temperate]] countries (species ''Musa acuminata'' or the [[hybrid]] ''Musa × paradisiaca'', a [[cultigen]]) are imported in large quantities from the [[tropics]]. They are popular in part because being a non-seasonal crop they are available fresh year-round. In global commerce, by far the most important of these banana [[cultivar]]s is '[[Cavendish banana|Cavendish]]', which accounts for the vast bulk of bananas exported from the tropics. The Cavendish gained popularity in the [[1950]]s after the previously mass produced cultivar, [[Gros Michel]], was destroyed by [[Panama disease]], a fungus which attacks the roots of the banana plant.
The most important properties making 'Cavendish' the main export banana are related to transport and shelf life rather than taste; major commercial cultivars rarely have a superior flavour compared to the less widespread cultivars. Export bananas are picked green, and then usually ripened in ripening rooms when they arrive in their country of destination. These are special rooms made air-tight and filled with [[ethylene]] gas to induce ripening. Bananas can be ordered by the retailer "ungassed", however, and may show up at the supermarket still fully green. While these bananas will ripen more slowly, the flavour will be notably richer, and the banana peel can be allowed to reach a yellow/brown speckled phase, and yet retain a firm flesh inside. Thus, shelf life is somewhat extended. The flavour and texture of bananas are affected by the temperature at which they ripen. Bananas are refrigerated to between 13.5 and 15 °C (57 and 59 °F) during transportation. At lower temperatures, the ripening of bananas permanently stalls, and the bananas will eventually turn grey.
[[Image:Banane Rose.JPG|thumb|250px|right|Certain banana cultivars turn red or purplish instead of yellow as they ripen.]]
It should be noted that ''Musa × paradisiaca'' is also the generic name for the common [[plantain]], a coarser and starchier variant not to be confused with ''Musa acuminata'' or the Cavendish variety. Plantains have all but replaced the Cavendish in markets dominated by supply-side logistics.
In addition to the fruit, the [[flower]] of the banana plant (also known as ''banana blossom'' or ''banana heart'') is used in [[Southeast Asia]]n, [[Bengali cuisine|Bengali]] and [[Kerala]] (India) cuisine, either served raw with dips or cooked in soups and curries. The tender core of the banana plant's trunk is also used, notably in the [[Myanmar|Burmese]] dish [[mohinga]], Bengali and Kerala cooking. [[Pisang goreng|Bananas fried with batter]] is a popular dessert in [[Malaysia]], [[Singapore]] and [[Indonesia]]. Banana fritters can be served with ice-cream as well. Bananas are also eaten deep fried, baked in their skin in a split bamboo, or steamed in [[glutinous rice]] wrapped in a banana leaf in [[Myanmar]] where bunches of green bananas surrounding a green coconut in a tray is an important part of traditional offerings to the [[Buddha]] and the [[Nat (spirit)]]s. The juice extract prepared from the tender core is used to treat kidney stones.
[[Image:IMG banana-offering.JPG|thumb|left|Traditional offerings of bananas and coconut at a Nat spirit shrine in Myanmar]]
The [[Leaf|leaves]] of the banana are large, flexible, and waterproof; they are used in many ways, including as [[umbrella]]s and to wrap food for cooking. [[China|Chinese]] [[zongzi]] (bamboo leaves are more commonly used where available) and [[Central America]]n [[tamale]]s are sometimes [[steaming|steamed]] in banana leaves, and the [[Hawaii]]an [[kalua|imu]] is often lined with them. [[Puerto Rico|Puerto Rican]] "pasteles" are boiled wrapped and tied inside the leaf.
[[Banana chips]] are a snack produced from dehydrated or fried banana or, preferably, plantain slices, which have a dark brown colour and an intense banana taste. Bananas hav
e also been used in the making of [[jam]]. Unlike other fruits, it is difficult to extract juice from bananas because when compressed a banana simply turns to pulp.
Seeded bananas (''Musa balbisiana''), considered to be one of the forerunners of the common domesticated banana, are sold in markets in Indonesia.
It is reported that in [[Orissa]], [[India]], juice is extracted from the [[corm]] and used as a [[home remedy]] for the treatment of [[jaundice]]. In other places [[honey]] is mixed with mashed banana fruit and used for the same purpose.
==Trade==
[[Image:Banana sorting.jpg|thumb|right|250 px|Women in Belize sorting bananas and cutting them from bunches.]]
{| class="wikitable" align=left style="clear:left"
! colspan=2|Top Banana Producing Nations - 2005<br>(in million metric tons)
|-
| {{IND}} || align="right" | 16.8
|-
| {{BRA}} || align="right" | 6.7
|-
| {{CHN}} || align="right" | 6.4
|-
| {{ECU}} || align="right" | 5.9
|-
| {{PHI}} || align="right" | 5.8
|-
| {{IDN}} || align="right" | 4.5
|-
| {{CRC}} || align="right" | 2.2
|-
| {{MEX}} || align="right" | 2.0
|-
| {{THA}} || align="right" | 2.0
|-
| {{COL}}|| align="right" | 1.6
|-
| {{BDI}}|| align="right" |1.6
|-
|'''World Total''' || align="right" | '''72.5'''
|-
|colspan=2| ''Source: UN Food & Agriculture Organisation''<ref>{{cite web |title = FAOSTAT: ProdSTAT: Crops |publisher = [[UN Food & Agriculture Organisation]] |date = 2005 |url = http://faostat.fao.org/site/567/DesktopDefault.aspx?PageID=567 |accessdate = 09-12-2006}}</ref>
|}
Bananas and plantains constitute a major staple [[food crop]] for millions of people in [[developing countries]]. In most tropical countries green (unripe) bananas used for [[cooking]] represent the main [[cultivar]]s. Cooking bananas are very similar to [[potato]]es in how they are used. Both can be [[frying|fried]], [[boiled]], [[baked]] or chipped and have similar [[taste]] and texture when served. One green cooking banana has about the same [[calorie]] content as one potato.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
In [[2003]], [[India]] led the world in banana production, representing approximately 23% of the worldwide crop, most of which was for domestic consumption. The four leading banana exporting countries were [[Ecuador]], [[Costa Rica]], [[Philippines]], and [[Colombia]], which accounted for about two-thirds of the world's exports, each exporting more than 1 million tons. Ecuador alone provided more than 30% of global banana exports, according to [[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]] statistics.
[[Image:Bananas.jpg|thumb|left|250 px|Bananas in a grocery store]]
The vast majority of producers are small-scale [[farmer]]s growing the crop either for home consumption or for local markets. Because bananas and plantains will produce fruit year-round, they provide an extremely valuable source of food during the hunger season (that period of time when all the food from the previous harvest has been consumed, and the next harvest is still some time away). It is for these reasons that bananas and plantains are of major importance to [[food security]].
Bananas are among the most widely consumed foods in the world. Most banana farmers receive a low unit price for their produce as supermarkets buy enormous quantities and receive a discount for that business. Competition amongst [[supermarkets]] has led to reduced margins in recent years which in turn has led to lower prices for growers. [[Chiquita Brands International|Chiquita]], [[Fresh Del Monte Produce|Del Monte]], [[Dole Food Company|Dole]] and [[Fyffes]] grow their own bananas in Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Honduras. Banana plantations are capital intensive and demand high expertise so the majority of independent growers are large and wealthy landowners of these countries. This has led to bananas being available as a "[[fair trade]]" item in some countries.
The banana has an extensive trade history beginning with the founding of the [[United Fruit Company]] (now Chiquita) at the end of the nineteenth century. For much of the [[20th century]], bananas
and [[coffee]] dominated the export economies of Central America. In the [[1930s]], bananas and coffee made up as much as 75 percent of the region's exports. As late as [[1960]], the two crops accounted for 67 percent of the exports from the region. Though the two were grown in similar regions, they tended not to be distributed together. The [[United Fruit Company]] based its business almost entirely on the banana trade, as the coffee trade proved too difficult for it to control. The term "[[banana republic]]" has been broadly applied to most countries in Central America, but from a strict economic perspective only Costa Rica, Honduras, and Panama were actual "banana republics", countries with economies dominated by the banana trade.
The countries of the [[European Union]] have traditionally imported many of their bananas from the former European island colonies of the Caribbean, paying guaranteed prices above global market rates. As of 2005 these arrangements were in the process of being withdrawn under pressure from other major trading powers, principally the United States. The withdrawal of these indirect subsidies to Caribbean producers is expected to favour the banana producers of Central America, in which American companies have an economic interest.
==Cultivation==
[[image:bananacorms.jpg|thumb|left|Banana [[corm]]s.]]
While the original bananas contained rather large seeds, [[polyploid|triploid]] (and thus seedless) cultivars have been selected for human consumption. These are propagated [[asexual reproduction|asexually]] from offshoots of the plant. The plant is allowed to produce 2 shoots at a time; a larger one for fruiting immediately and a smaller "sucker" or "follower" that will produce fruit in 6–8 months time. The life of a banana plantation is 25 years or longer, during which time the individual stools or planting sites may move slightly from their original positions as lateral rhizome formation dictates. Latin Americans sometimes comment that the plants are "walking" over time.
Cultivated bananas are ''[[parthenocarpy|parthenocarpic]]'', which makes them sterile and unable to produce viable seeds. Lacking seeds, another form of propagation is required. This involves removing and transplanting part of the underground stem (called a [[corm]]). Usually this is done by carefully removing a sucker (a vertical shoot that develops from the base of the banana pseudostem) with some roots intact. However, small sympodial corms, representing not yet elongated suckers, are harder to transplant and can be left out of the ground for up to 2 weeks; they require minimal care and can be boxed together for shipment.
In some countries, bananas are commercially propagated by means of tissue culture. This method is preferred since it ensures disease-free planting material. When using vegetative parts such as suckers for propagation, there is a risk of transmitting diseases (especially the devastating Panama disease).
== Pests, diseases and natural disasters ==
{{Main|List of banana and plantain diseases}}
[[Image:BananasBlueBagStLucia.jpg|thumb|Banana bunches are sometimes encased in plastic bags for protection. The bags may be coated with [[pesticides]].]]
[[Image:Banana trees.jpg|thumb|Inspecting bananas for fruit flies.]]
While in no danger of outright extinction, the most common edible banana cultivar 'Cavendish' (extremely popular in Europe and the Americas) could become unviable for large-scale cultivation in the next 10-20 years. Its predecessor 'Gros Michel', discovered in the 1820s, has already suffered this fate. Like almost all bananas, it lacks genetic diversity, which makes it vulnerable to diseases, which threaten both commercial cultivation and the small-scale subsistence farming.<ref>{{cite news | title =A future with no bananas? | language = English | publisher = [[New Scientist]] | date = 13 May, 2006 | url =http://www.newscientist.com/channel/earth/dn9152-a-future-with-no-bananas.html | accessdate = 09-12-2006 }}</ref><!----><ref>{{cite news | last = Montpellier | first = Emile Frison | title =Resc
uing the banana | language = English | publisher = [[New Scientist]] | date = 8 February 2003 | url = http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg17723813.300-rescuing-the-banana.html | accessdate = 09-12-2006}}</ref> Major diseases include:
* [[Panama disease|Panama Disease]] (Race 1) – [[fusarium wilt]] (a [[soil]] [[fungus]]). The fungus enters the [[plants]] through the [[root]]s and moves up with water into the trunk and leaves, producing gels and gums. These plug and cut off the flow of water and [[nutrients]], causing the plant to [[wilt]]. Prior to [[1960]] almost all commercial banana production centered on the cultivar '[[Gros Michel]]', which was highly susceptible to fusarium wilt. The cultivar 'Cavendish' was chosen as a replacement for 'Gros Michel' because out of the resistant cultivars it was viewed as producing the highest quality [[fruit]]. However, more care is required for shipping the 'Cavendish' banana and its quality compared to 'Gros Michel' is debated.
* Tropical Race 4 - a reinvigorated strain of [[Panama disease|Panama Disease]] first discovered in 1993. This is a virulent form of fusarium wilt that has wiped out 'Cavendish' in several southeast Asian countries. It has yet to reach the Americas; however, soil fungi can easily be carried on [[boots]], [[clothing]], or [[tool]]s. This is how Tropical Race 4 moves from one plantation to another and is its most likely route into Latin America. The Cavendish cultivar is highly susceptible to TR4, and over time, Cavendish is almost certain to be eliminated from commercial production by this disease. Unfortunately the only known defense to TR4 is genetic resistance.
* [[Black Sigatoka]] - a fungal leaf spot disease first observed in [[Fiji]] in [[1963]] or [[1964]]. Black Sigatoka (also known as Black Leaf Streak) has spread to banana plantations throughout the tropics due to infected banana leaves being used as packing material. It affects all of the main cultivars of bananas and [[plantains]], impeding [[photosynthesis]] by turning parts of their leaves black, and eventually killing the entire leaf. Being starved for energy, fruit production falls by 50% or more, and the bananas that do grow suffer premature [[ripening]], making them unsuitable for [[export]]. The fungus has shown ever increasing resistance to fungicidal treatment, with the current expense for treating 1 hectare exceeding US$1000 per year. In addition to the financial expense there is the question of how long such intensive spraying can be justified environmentally. Several resistant cultivars of banana have been developed, but none has yet received wide scale commercial acceptance due to taste and texture issues.
* Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) - this [[virus]] is spread from plant to plant by [[aphids]]. It causes stunting of the leaves resulting in a "bunched" appearance. Generally, a banana plant infected with the virus will not set fruit, although mild strains exist in many areas which do allow for some fruit production. These mild strains are often mistaken for malnourishment, or a disease other than BBTV. There is no cure for BBTV, however its effect can be minimised by planting only tissue cultured plants (In-vitro propagation), controlling the aphids, and immediately removing and destroying any plant from the field that shows signs of the disease.
* It is common for fruit exports to contain minor traces of chemicals from their home countries, as has been the recent case within the Russian village of Kholuy. Minor traces of the radioactive substance [[trininite]] were spread by the wind over the town's main banana field; however, no serious problems occurred
Even though it is no longer viable for large scale cultivation, 'Gros Michel' is not extinct and is still grown in areas where Panama Disease is not found. Likewise, 'Cavendish' is in no danger of extinction, but it may leave the shelves of the supermarkets for good if diseases make it impossible to supply the global market. It is unclear if any existing cultivar can replace 'Cavendish' on a scale needed to fill current dem
and, so various hybridisation and genetic engineering programs are working on creating a disease-resistant, mass-market banana.
Australia is relatively free of plant diseases and therefore prohibits imports. When [[Cyclone Larry]] wiped out Australia's domestic banana crop in 2006, bananas became relatively expensive, due to low supply domestically, and laws prohibiting banana imports.
{{clear}}
==Effects of banana diseases in East Africa==
[[Image:FHIA-17.jpg|thumb|right|Tanzanian farmers with 92 kg (200 lb) bunch of FHIA-17 bananas.]]
Most bananas grown worldwide are used for local consumption. In the tropics, bananas, especially cooking bananas, represent a major source of food, as well as a major source of income for smallholder farmers. It is in the East African highlands that bananas reach their greatest importance as a staple food crop. In countries such as [[Uganda]], [[Burundi]] and [[Rwanda]] per capita consumption has been estimated at 450 kg per year, the highest in the world. Ugandans use the same word "matooke" to describe both banana and food.
In the past, the banana was a highly sustainable crop with a long plantation life and stable yields year round. However with the arrival of the [[Black Sigatoka]] fungus, banana production in eastern Africa has fallen by over 40%. For example during the 1970s, Uganda produced 15 to 20 tonnes of bananas per hectare. Today production has fallen to only 6 tonnes per hectare.
The situation has started to improve as new disease resistant cultivars have been developed such as the [[FHIA-17]] (known in Uganda as the Kabana 3). These new cultivars taste different from the traditionally grown banana which has slowed their acceptance by local farmers. However, by adding [[mulch]] and animal [[manure]] to the soil around the base of the banana plant, these new cultivars have substantially increased yields in the areas where they have been tried.
The [[Rockefeller Foundation]] has started trials for [[genetically modified]] banana plants that are resistant to both Black Sigatoka and banana weevils. It is developing cultivars specifically for smallholder or subsistence farmers.
==Fibre==
[[Image:M. acuminata x balbisiana.JPG|right|thumb|''M. acuminata x balbisiana'' flower, partially opened.]]
The banana plant has long been a source of fibre for high quality textiles. In Japan, the cultivation of banana for clothing and household use dates back to at least the 13th century. In the Japanese system, leaves and shoots are cut from the plant periodically to ensure softness. The harvested shoots must first be boiled in [[lye]] to prepare the fibres for the making of the yarn. These banana shoots produce fibres of varying degrees of softness, yielding yarns and textiles with differing qualities for specific uses. For example, the outermost fibres of the shoots are the coarsest, and are suitable for tablecloths, whereas the softest innermost fibres are desirable for [[kimono]] and [[kamishimo]]. This traditional Japanese banana cloth making process requires many steps, all performed by hand.<ref>{{cite web |title =Traditional Crafts of Japan - Kijoka Banana Fiber Cloth |publisher = Association for the Promotion of Traditional Craft Industries |date = |url = http://www.kougei.or.jp/english/crafts/0130/f0130.html |accessdate = 11-12-2006}}</ref>
In another system employed in Nepal, the trunk of the banana plant is harvested instead, small pieces of which are subjected to a softening process, mechanical extraction of the fibres, bleaching, and drying. After that, the fibres are sent to the [[Kathmandu valley]] for the making of high end rugs with a textural quality similar to silk. These banana fibre rugs are woven by the traditional Nepalese hand-knotted methods, and are sold [[rugmark|RugMark certified]].
Banana fibre is also used in the production of [[banana paper]].
==Popular culture==
===Banana peels===
The depiction of a person slipping on a banana peel has been a staple of [[physical comedy]] for generations. A [[1906]] comedy record produced by [[Edison Record
s]] features a popular character of the time, "[[Cal Stewart]]", claiming to describe his own such incident, saying:
:I don't think much of a man what throws a bananer peelin' on the sidewalk, and I don't think much of a bananer what throws a man on the sidewalk, neether. ... my foot hit that bananer peelin' and I went up in the air, and cum down ker-plunk, and fer about a minnit I seen all the stars what stronomy tells about, and some that haint been discovered yit. Wall jist as I wuz pickin' myself up a little boy cum runnin' cross the street and he sed "Oh mister, won't you please do that agin, my mother didn't see you do it.
===Stereotypes===
*Because of the stereotypical image of [[monkey]]s and [[ape]]s eating bananas, they have been used for [[racism|racist]] insults, such as throwing bananas at sports players of [[Africa]]n descent.<ref>{{cite news | last = Green | first = Alan | title = Society has to change - Barnes | language = English | publisher = BBC SPORT | date = 4 November, 2002 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_radio/world_football/2399629.stm | accessdate = 09-12-2006}}</ref>
*In the Asian community, a banana is a slang term which is used to describe an Asian person who acts like a [[White people|white person]], as is the term [[Twinkie (slur)|twinkie]].
===The arts===
*The [[The Velvet Underground & Nico|debut album]] of [[The Velvet Underground]] features a banana on the cover.
*[[Deep Purple]] released an album in 2003 entitled ''[[Bananas (album)|Bananas]]''.
===Symbols===
Bananas are also humorously used as a [[phallic symbol]] due to similarities in size and shape. This is typified by the artwork of the [[The Velvet Underground and Nico|debut album]] of [[The Velvet Underground]], which features a banana on the front cover, yet on the original LP version, the design allowed the listener to 'peel' this banana to find a pink, phallic structure on the inside.
==See also==
*[[Isoamyl acetate]]
*[[Banana messenger]]
*[[Ensete|Enset]] (''false banana'')
*[[Bananadine]] - a hoax that smoking banana peels gives hallucinogenic effects.
*[[Plantain]]
==References==
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<div class="references-small">
<references />
*FAO. [http://www.fao.org/es/esc/en/20953/20987/highlight_28367en.html Bananas Commodity notes: Final results of the 2003 season], 2004
*Denham, T., Haberle, S. G., Lentfer, C., Fullagar, R., Field, J., Porch, N., Therin, M., Winsborough B., and Golson, J. Multi-disciplinary Evidence for the Origins of Agriculture from 6950-6440 Cal BP at Kuk Swamp in the Highlands of New Guinea. ''Science'', June 2003 issue.
* Skidmore, T., Smith, P. - ''Modern Latin America'' (5th edition), (2001) New York: Oxford University Press)
* {{cite journal | author=Editors | title=Banana fiber rugs | journal=[[Dwell (magazine)|Dwell]] | year=2006 | volume=6 | issue=7 | pages= 44}} Brief mention of banana fibre rugs
*{{cite journal | author=Leibling, Robert W. and Pepperdine, Donna | title=Natural remedies of Arabia | journal=[[Saudi Aramco World]] | year=2006 | volume=57 | issue=5 | pages= 14}} Banana etymology, banana flour
</div>
{{Citations missing|date=December 2006}}
== External links ==
{{wiktionary}}
{{Commons|Banana}}
* [http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-B00001-01c20Tm.html Complete nutritional information.]
*[http://www.iita.org/cms/details/banana_plantain_details.aspx?newsid=268&zoneid=66&activity=Banana%20and%20plantain%20systems&a=184 Banana research at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)]
* [http://www.inibap.org/ International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain (INIBAP)]
* [http://www.bananas.org/ International Banana Society (IBS)]
* [http://www.honduras.com/fhia/banana.htm Honduran Foundation of Agricultural Resea
rch: Bananas & Plantains]
* [http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/banana.html Banana from ''Fruits of Warm Climates'' by Julia Morton]
* [http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/banana.html Banana Fruit Facts - California Rare Fruit Growers].
*[http://www.pacificbiological.org.au/projects/PBF_02_3/pbf_02_3.htm Tracing antiquity of banana cultivation in Papua New Guinea]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2664373.stm Bananas could split for good]
* [http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/news/2003/13120-en.html Bananas not on verge of extinction, says FAO].
* [http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-02/aps-ppu021403.php Plant pathologists unpeel rumors of banana extinction]
* [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8044524&dopt=Abstract The influence of banana stem extract on urinary risk factors for stones]
* [http://www.kougei.or.jp/english/crafts/0130/f0130.html Weaving Kijoka Banana Fiber Cloth]
[[Category:Bananas|*]]
[[Category:Zingiberales]]
[[Category:Fruit]]
[[Category:Tropical agriculture]]
[[Category:Inflorescence vegetables]]
