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Sdcook
03-26-2014, 10:03 PM
Hello all. I'm a plant enthusiast intrigued by the dilemma of Panama disease. I have no expertise beyond reading media and internet articles. I wondered what would happen if Gros Michel was bred with the wild Musa spp. Or if that even is possible.

robguz24
03-27-2014, 03:35 AM
Welcome! I wonder if you might be asking if Gros Michel can be bred into some type of Panama Disease resistant type, and the answer is yes. But how much they taste like Gros Michel, I haven't personally tasted. See these threads and search for FHIA-17 and FHIA-23 which are Gros Michel hybrids.
http://www.bananas.org/f2/what-gros-michel-varieties-18521.html
http://www.bananas.org/f2/gros-michel-fhia-17-fhia-23-a-16016.html
Personally, I've love to get my hands on them in Hawaii and try to grow them, but FHIA cultivars are rare, at the consumer/hobbyist level anyway. I've only seen FHIA-01, and the FHIA-18 I bought was most likely Rose.

kubali
03-27-2014, 07:42 AM
Welcome aboard ,
pull up a chair and have some fun learning.

ez
03-27-2014, 11:48 AM
Welcome Sdcook
http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/ac317/1tvg/acaa31f2-e9d7-4e3d-aa46-8525ade924ed_zpscfce017f.jpg%7Eoriginal

Sdcook
03-27-2014, 09:55 PM
Thanks, everyone for the warm welcome. I live in an apartment, so I probably will get something like Mauritius. I'm sure Big Mike would take over my little space.

lukem5
03-31-2014, 07:18 AM
Dunno why there isn't more interest amongst hobby growers with Gros michel, they are still growing cavendish varieties, why? I don't know I guess they are afraid they will lose a plant to panama disease and sacrifice all that banana flavor just for that!

sputinc7
03-13-2016, 08:36 PM
Apparently, FHIA 17 isn't so tasty as Gros Michel, but hardy and productive...
see here:

Farmers resort to productive banana variety for better yields - Farming (http://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/Farming/-/689860/995988/-/xfqiuf/-/index.html)