Have scientists finally found a way to save the banana from disaster?

Researchers at Yelloway, a collaboration between Chiquita and KeyGene, have developed a fully fertile Cavendish banana for the first time, potentially enabling the creation of disease-resistant varieties through cross-breeding. The breakthrough comes as bananas face threats from Tropical Race 4 (TR4) and other diseases that have spread from Southeast Asia to Ecuador, the world's largest banana exporter.

The development is a technical breakthrough; creating commercially viable, disease-resistant varieties and getting them to market will require further breeding, testing, and regulatory approval.