Bianca Armellino

Biotechnology 10
Mrs. Berlekovic
13 February 2023
Sequencing Genome Holds Appeal of a Better Banana
Rosie Mestel, Tribune Newspapers
Vocabulary:
1. Sterile: Not able to produce young/offspring
2. Genome: The haploid set of chromosomes in a gamete or microorganism, or in each cell
of a multicellular organism
3. Gamma Rays: Penetrating electromagnetic radiation of a kind arising from the
radioactive decay of atomic nuclei.
4. DNA: a self-replicating material that is present in nearly all living organisms as the main
constituent of chromosomes. It is the carrier of genetic information.
5. Sequencing: DNA sequencing is the process of determining the nucleic acid sequence –
the order of nucleotides in DNA.

This article acts as an exploration into the importance of determining the sequencing of
banana DNA. Bananas are the fourth most important crop in the world. Bananas are susceptible
to a number of environmental factors, including disease and drought. They are also inedible with
their seeds. The sequencing of the banana genome will allow scientists to improve this vital crop
significantly.
(Point One: diseases and pests)
Several types of bananas are subject to disease and pests. The fruits acan be affected by
wind-borne fungal spores. If not given a weekly fungicide treatment, there can be a 50 percent
crop loss as the plants are struck with Black Leaf Streak disease. An underground mold, known
as Fusarium, is characterized by its ability to dry banana plants out from the inside, causing
incurable Panama disease. The popular Cavendish banana is prospected to be wiped out by this
disease, as it has done to another popular predecessor. Aside from viruses and diseases, pesky
worms and weevils eat away at banana crops
(Point Two: sterility and fertility)
Bananas, with their fully formed seeds, are inedible. For this reason, all profitable
bananas contain only immature seeds. These are sterile. According to author Angelique D’Hont,
You need sterility to produce fruits that can be eaten, but you need fertility to improve the
cultivar”. This poses an issue for individuals who are looking to improve the banana crops on a
large scale.
(Point Three: solutions)
Banana cells have been exposed to radioactive gamma rays by labs around the world.
This has so far produced bananas that are far larger in size than normal. Their bunches are also
larger and they are more resistant to black leaf streak and fusarium wilt. Many scientists argue in
favor of this modification. Rony Swennen, head of the lab with the world’s collection of 1,400
banana varieties argues that “If you are dealing with sterile plants and perennials, then genetic
modification is the way to go.”
In my opinion, using the information gathered from the source Sequencing Genome
Holds Appeal of a Better Banana by Rosie Mestel, the genetic modification of bananas has and
will continue to prove beneficial. Given their significance and high ranking on the list of most
important crops in the world, banana plants being wiped out can be an extreme issue. Given the
statistics mentioned in the article, bananas are also a big part of the economy and society.
Genetic modification is a way to save crops from disease and parasites, as well as making them
edible. I love banana bread so I think this is pretty cool if it means I can keep eating it!!