Deadly Fungus Drives<br />Bananas Closer to Extinction.<br />The Colombian agriculture and livestock<br />authority recently announced the arrival<br />of Tropical Race 4 (TR4) in Latin America.<br />TR4, in an infectious fungus<br />that causes banana plants<br />to become infertile. .<br />Cavendish bananas are especially susceptible<br />to TR4, as the bananas are mass produced<br />to be almost exact genetic identicals.<br />TR4 was first identified in Taiwan in the 1990s and<br />remained confined to Southeast Asia and Australia until<br />2013, when it was found in the Middle East and Africa. .<br />There is no known fungicide<br />that is effective against TR4, with<br />containment being the only defense. .<br />Banana importers, such as those in the<br />United States, may soon see higher prices<br />and scarcer supplies of bananas.<br />However, for those in Latin America,<br />the scarcity of bananas will likely cause<br />widespread economic distress.<br />Latin America is the epicenter of the banana<br />industry, containing the top 10 banana<br />exporters to the United States.<br />It is also home to four of the top five<br />exporters of bananas to the world market,<br />with Ecuador being the world’s largest exporter
