26/08/2026
Did you realise that seedless fruits are clones of one another?
That's right! These plants cannot reproduce on their own and their widespread adoption fundamentally changes how we grow food. Apart from the ecological and genetic risks, the economic impact and the nutritional disconnect, there's the threat to food security.
Take the Cavendish banana. All Cavendish bananas are clones. Since Cavendish banana trees are clones, it means they all have the same immune system. This system helps living things fight off sickness. But if all the bananas are the same, there can be serious problems. A disease that can kill one banana tree can kill them all.
Panama Disease has already wiped out banana trees in Asia. It has hit Africa and Europe, too. South America is now the one continent where Cavendish bananas can grow. So far, the disease has not reached South America. Experts, though, fear it will soon get there.
Kinda makes you think, no?
