History is repeating itself as the banana trees of today become affected and lose their ability to produce fruit. In the 1980s, Race 4 wiped out crops in the subtropics.

The disease is caused by the soil-borne fungus, specifically the Tropical Race 4 (TR4) strain. TR4 infects the vascular system of the banana tree, blocking the transport of water and nutrients ...

Akiller disease turns up out of ... The cultivar was chosen by the burgeoning banana industry because it produces large, tasty fruit that can be cut from the tree unripe, making it possible ...