Is the banana really a straightforward superfood? Sure, it’s high in potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. Handy to grab, wrapped in its own little jacket, there’s no denying the yummy taste, convenience, and overall appeal.

But what do you really know about that familiar yellow fruit? Most consumers are eating Cavendish . These bananas originate from a small group of plants collected in southern China in 1826 and then spread worldwide by collectors and horticulturalists. Occasionally, local stores present different options - including yellow, red, and miniature bananas - representing just a few of the many types. The Abyssinian banana yields dietary staples from the shoots, stem, and corm, rather than yielding an edible fruit. On the other hand, some Asian varieties are grown only for their fibres, which are used to make rope, teabags, cloth, and other items. Still other varieties are eaten cooked - like the plantain. Not only the fruit is prized, and banana blossoms are used in some regional cuisines.

Edible forms originally come from southern Asia, with travellers spreading them to Australasia and Africa. Now widespread across South America, banana plantations were first introduced there in the 16th century. Today, bananas are grown across all tropical regions, with most production based in Central and South America. India has recently become the single largest producer, with bananas going into the domestic market. About 20% of the global crop is exported to the US, Canada, Europe, and Japan. Within banana-growing regions, there are still different varieties being grown and eaten. Some of these are thin-skinned and difficult to ship or more prone to plant diseases, so they have not been used commercially but form part of local diets.

Planting of bananas usually requires or suckers. These are both vegetative propagation techniques, so that many banana plants are actually clones of parent forms. There is little genetic diversity, as seeds are used only in research programs. And this means that natural variation is reduced, leaving clones susceptible to pests and diseases.

Panama disease, or banana wilt, is one problem facing banana growers worldwide. A fungal disease, it destroys the plant from the inside. Transmission occurs through contaminated soil, water, or wind. Black Sigatoka is another fungal disease that has reached epidemic proportions in the past. It is windborne and kills the banana leaves to expose fruits to direct sunlight. The economic costs have been huge. Moko Disease is bacterial, transmitted by insects, contaminated equipment, soil, and other plants. Other problems affect local bananas from one region to the next.

The main strategy has been to develop disease-resistant strains through cloning, and these are now important in many regions. Generally, the ubiquitous Cavendish bananas include several of the more resistant varieties. However, if a new disease arises, existing banana forms may have few defences - with potentially catastrophic effects for the global trade.

Wild varieties contain hard seeds - making them largely inedible but still able to reproduce through sexual means and flower pollination. In contrast, commercial varieties typically have soft vestigial seeds, representing their sterility and inability to adapt to changing environmental conditions. The loss of seeds likely arose through a genetic mutation thousands of years ago. Since that time, any agricultural propagation has been through human intervention.

Researchers and growers are concerned about the diminished gene pool. For example, Panama disease has returned in different strains, and the Cavendish banana is showing signs of susceptibility to newer forms. Current efforts are focused on understanding banana genetics, using wild bananas to reinvigorate commercial varieties, and finding ways to combat disease outbreaks. It is important to revisit banana types that are grown on a smaller scale, in order to understand the potential variation. The alternative may be relying in genetic modifications. So, next time you peel a banana, remember the complicated history behind this simple fruit.