Banana Cultivation and Fungal Threats Quiz

What was the most lucrative product for Central American banana growers in the 1950s?

• Red Dacca banana

• Lady Finger banana

• Gros Michel banana

• Cavendish banana

What fungus threatens the Gros Michel and Cavendish bananas?

• Phytophthora infestans

• Botrytis cinerea

• Rhizoctonia solani

• Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense

How did United Fruit mass-produce Gros Michel bananas?

• By grafting different varieties

• By cloning shoots from stems

• By planting seeds

• By using hydroponics

What was the TR-1 strain of the fungus resistant to?

• Fertilizers

• Pesticides

• Herbicides

• Crop sprays

Where was the Cavendish banana discovered?

• In a Central American plantation

• In a laboratory in Australia

• In a British duke's greenhouse

• In a South American rainforest

What happened to Cavendish banana exports from South East Asia in 2015?

• They doubled

• They increased by 20%

• They dropped by 46%

• They remained the same

What is one reason growers in South East Asia struggle with banana cultivation?

• Overpopulation of banana plants

• Lack of demand for bananas

• Inability to afford lab-based cloning methods

• Excessive rainfall

What regions have been affected by the spread of the fungus?

• Only South America

• Australia, the Middle East, and Mozambique

• Only Africa

• North America and Europe

What are scientists attempting to do to combat the fungus threat?

• Create synthetic fertilizers

• Increase banana exports

• Genetically modify the Cavendish banana

• Develop new pesticides

How long have the modified plants at Queensland University of Technology remained resistant?

• Five years

• Three years

• Two years

• One year