Goldfinger banana
Encyclopedia
The Goldfinger banana is a banana
cultivar
developed in Honduras
. The cultivar, developed at the Honduran Foundation for Agricultural Research (FHIA) by a team of scientists led by Phillip Rowe and Franklin Rosales, has been bred to be pest-resistant (specifically against the black sigatoka
) and crop-yielding.
), and the cultivar SH-3142.
SH-3142 was developed from a cross between SH-1734 and Musa acuminata (AA) 'Pisang jari buaya' from Papua New Guinea
.
SH-1734 in turn, was developed from Musa acuminata (AA) 'Lidi' (from Sumatra
), Musa acuminata (AA) 'Sinwobogi' (from Papua New Guinea
), and wild seeded Musa acuminata (from the Philippines
).
Its full designation is Musa acuminata × balbisiana Colla (AAAB Group) cv. 'FHIA-01 Goldfinger'.
begun as early as 1959. This was later taken up by the Honduran Foundation for Agricultural Research, supported by organizations such as the Canada's International Development Research Centre
(IDRC). The initiative drew on the gene pool of more than 800 banana cultivars from Southeast Asia, from which bananas originated. Throughout the development of the banana, the developers took the view that conventional hybridization is more important than alternative means, such as genetic engineering
.
The first big breakthrough came in 1977, with the development of a hybrid which provided a good banana bunch size, and was resistant to both burrowing nematodes and Race 4 of Panama disease
. The banana's pest-resistance, further improved later, has environmental and economic aspects. Antifungal chemicals cost more than $750 per hectare a year, and are very damaging to the environment.
The Goldfinger was unveiled in Canada in 1994 by the IDRC.
After Phillip Rowe's death in 2001, the initiative was taken over by Juan Fernando Aguilar.
, which is essentially the sole dessert banana sold in North American and European markets. Since its launch, the Goldfinger has caught on in certain markets — notably Australia — but has yet to do so in North America and Europe.
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
developed in Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
. The cultivar, developed at the Honduran Foundation for Agricultural Research (FHIA) by a team of scientists led by Phillip Rowe and Franklin Rosales, has been bred to be pest-resistant (specifically against the black sigatoka
Black sigatoka
Black Sigatoka is a leaf spot disease of banana plants caused by ascomycete fungusMycosphaerella fijiensis . Plants with leaves damaged by the disease may have up to 50% lower yield of fruit...
) and crop-yielding.
Taxonomy
The FHIA-01 Goldfinger banana is a tetraploid (AAAB) hybrid of the cultivar Musa acuminata × balbisiana (AAB) 'Prata-anã' (a naturally occurring triploid clone from BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
), and the cultivar SH-3142.
SH-3142 was developed from a cross between SH-1734 and Musa acuminata (AA) 'Pisang jari buaya' from Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
.
SH-1734 in turn, was developed from Musa acuminata (AA) 'Lidi' (from Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
), Musa acuminata (AA) 'Sinwobogi' (from Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
), and wild seeded Musa acuminata (from the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
).
Its full designation is Musa acuminata × balbisiana Colla (AAAB Group) cv. 'FHIA-01 Goldfinger'.
History
The roots of the Goldfinger's development can be traced back to an initiative to develop new banana breeds by the United Fruit CompanyUnited Fruit Company
It had a deep and long-lasting impact on the economic and political development of several Latin American countries. Critics often accused it of exploitative neocolonialism and described it as the archetypal example of the influence of a multinational corporation on the internal politics of the...
begun as early as 1959. This was later taken up by the Honduran Foundation for Agricultural Research, supported by organizations such as the Canada's International Development Research Centre
International Development Research Centre
The International Development Research Centre is a Canadian Crown Corporation created by the Parliament of Canada that supports research in developing countries to promote growth and development...
(IDRC). The initiative drew on the gene pool of more than 800 banana cultivars from Southeast Asia, from which bananas originated. Throughout the development of the banana, the developers took the view that conventional hybridization is more important than alternative means, such as genetic engineering
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
.
The first big breakthrough came in 1977, with the development of a hybrid which provided a good banana bunch size, and was resistant to both burrowing nematodes and Race 4 of Panama disease
Panama disease
Panama disease, a Fusarium wilt, is a banana plant disease caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum. The fungus attacks the roots of the banana plant. The disease is resistant to fungicide and cannot be controlled chemically.-History:...
. The banana's pest-resistance, further improved later, has environmental and economic aspects. Antifungal chemicals cost more than $750 per hectare a year, and are very damaging to the environment.
The Goldfinger was unveiled in Canada in 1994 by the IDRC.
After Phillip Rowe's death in 2001, the initiative was taken over by Juan Fernando Aguilar.
Growing
The Goldfinger takes longer than other banana varieties to mature, but is more resistant to cold, wind and pestilence. It grows to 4.3 meters (14 feet).Consumption
Though the Goldfinger is edible while still green (in the form of chips, for instance), it is most appealing to Western markets when ripe. In this form, the Goldfinger's stated aim is to replace the much more popular Cavendish bananaCavendish banana
The Dwarf Cavendish banana is a banana cultivar originally from Vietnam and China. It became the primary replacement for the Gros Michel banana in the 1950s after crops of the latter were devastated by the Panama disease. The name 'Dwarf Cavendish' is in reference to the height of the pseudostem,...
, which is essentially the sole dessert banana sold in North American and European markets. Since its launch, the Goldfinger has caught on in certain markets — notably Australia — but has yet to do so in North America and Europe.
See also
- BananaBananaBanana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
- Banana cultivar groupsBanana cultivar groupsAlmost all modern edible banana and plantain cultivars are hybrids and polyploids of the wild, seeded bananas Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. They are almost always seedless and hence sterile, so they are propagated vegetatively...
- Musa balbisianaMusa balbisianaMusa balbisiana is a species of wild banana native to South Asia. It is one of the ancestors of modern cultivated bananas along with Musa acuminata. It grows lush leaves in clumps and grows with a more upright habit than most cultivated bananas. Flowers grow in inflorescences coloured red to...
- Musa acuminataMusa acuminataMusa acuminata is a species of wild banana native to Southeast Asia. It is the progenitor of modern edible bananas, along with Musa balbisiana. First cultivated by humans around 8000 years ago, it is one of the earliest examples of domesticated plants.-Taxonomy and nomenclature:Musa acuminata...
- PlantainPlantainPlantain is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa. The fruit they produce is generally used for cooking, in contrast to the soft, sweet banana...