A state religion many are helped by it but children often suffer from its decrees but first lets look at the humble banana the most popular fruit in the world could soon be wiped out. In one way germany is certainly a Banana Republic its citizens are twelve kilograms of the yellow fruit every year on average americans are the only nationality to consume more in twenty sixteen around one hundred thirteen million tons of bananas were harvested worldwide but the vast majority of them were from a single cloned variety the cavendish. Shoots monocultures are an open invitation to pests and pathogens one of them a soil fungus called t r four has spread rapidly in cells east asia and caused major damage in many countries there and t. R. Four is far from the only destructive fungus experts have long said the day. The cavendish are numbered thats causing major concern in ecuador. Or the countrys number one export. No theres not an airport ahead this sign is warning drivers about low flying aircr