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　　Disease Threatens World Banana Supplies

　　疾病威胁全球香蕉供应

　　A disease called “Panama” is threatening supplies of the world’s most popular fruit – banana.

　　一种名叫“巴拿马”的疾病正在威胁全球最受欢迎的水果——香蕉的供应。

　　Two years ago, the United Nations warned that the “Panama disease” could destroy “much of the world’s banana crop.”

　　两年前，联合国警告说“巴拿马病毒”会摧毁全球大量香蕉树。

　　Since then, things have not gotten better. A new outbreak was discovered last year in Australia. The disease started in Asia in the 1990s, and later spread to Africa and the Middle East.

　　自那时起，情况就没有好转。去年澳大利亚爆发了新的疾病。该病毒20世纪90年代起源于亚洲，后又传播至非洲和中东地区。

　　World health officials worry the disease could travel to Latin America, one of the top banana producers in the world.

　　世界卫生组的官员担心该疾病会传播至拉丁美洲，那里是全球最大的香蕉出产地。

　　All this is a big concern because bananas are an important source of income and nutrients for millions of people. They are grown in 135 tropical nations.

　　由于香蕉买卖是重要的收入来源，且香蕉又富含数百万人需要营养素，此次疾病无疑是一个大问题。有135个热带地区的国家盛产香蕉。

　　The United Nations lists bananas as one of the most important foods, along with rice, wheat and corn. In 2011, farmers produced 107 metric tons, the UN said.

　　联合国将香蕉与水稻、小麦和玉米同列为最重要的食物。联合国表示，2011年，香蕉产量为107公吨。

　　The website ultimatesuperfoods.org says bananas also contain serotonin, which it says makes people feel happy.

　　一网站(http://www.ultimatesuperfoods.org/)上说香蕉富含血清素，该物质可使人感到愉悦。

　　“No matter who you are, you’ll enjoy the calming effects and positive vibes,” the website says of the banana.

　　该网站这样形容香蕉：“无论你是谁，你都会有平静和积极的感觉。”

　　Concern in the banana industry

　　香蕉产业的忧虑

　　Randy Ploetz is a professor at the Tropical Research & Educational Center at the University of Florida. Many consider him as America’s top banana expert, or, “top banana.”

　　兰迪·普罗兹(Randy Ploetz)是美国佛罗里达大学(University of Florida)热带研究和教育中心(Tropical Research and Educational Center)的教授。他被广誉为美国顶尖香蕉专家。

　　As he explained, Panama disease affects the Cavendish banana. The Cavendish is one of more than 500 kinds of bananas. But it is the most popular.

　　他解释说，巴拿马疾病对卡文迪什香蕉产量有极大影响。香蕉约有500余种，卡文迪什香蕉是其中的一种且是最流行的一种。

　　“The industry is waking up to the problem,” Ploetz said. “They are pretty scared.”

　　“该产业正在面临一个棘手的问题，”普罗兹说：“人们对此都很恐惧。”

　　He was speaking Thursday by telephone from Miami, Florida, where he is among 1,000 people attending the International Banana Congress.

　　周四他从弗罗里达迈阿密打来电话时这样表示，他正在那里参加1000人的国际香蕉会议。

　　The meeting was supposed to take place in Costa Rica, but was moved at the last minute. There were concerns banana growers could spread Panama disease from dirt collected on their shoes, Ploetz said.

　　普罗兹说，该会议本应在哥斯达黎加召开，但于最后时刻变换了开会地点，这是因为担心蕉农会将鞋子上沾染的病菌传播至他处。

　　Ploetz said reports Cavendish banana production could end are not correct. But if the disease spreads to Latin America, it could hurt the world’s economy along with food supplies for millions of people.

　　普罗兹说，有报道称卡文迪什香蕉将会绝产有误。但如果该疾病扩散至拉丁美洲，将严重损害世界经济和涉及千家万户的食品供应。

　　Still, he said there is reason for hope. Scientists in Australia are working on a genetically engineered banana that might not be at risk of getting Panama disease. But Ploetz wondered if people are ready to accept genetically engineered bananas.

　　他说目前还有希望，澳大利亚的科学家们正在研究可抵抗巴拿马疾病的转基因香蕉。但普罗兹不确定人们是否会接受转基因香蕉。

　　Robert Bertram is chief scientist for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). He said bananas are important to many millions of people all over the world.

　　罗伯特·伯特伦是美国国际开发署(USAID)的首席科学家。他说香蕉对全世界人民都很重要。

　　“In Africa, Asia and tropical America, bananas and plantains are an important food source for more than 100 million people,” he told VOA.

　　“对于生活在非洲、亚洲和热带美洲的一亿人来说，香蕉和大蕉是重要的食物来源。”他告诉美国之音。

　　“As a cash crop, bananas are sold in local, regional and international markets,” Bertram said. Banana exports provide jobs and foreign money that producing countries need, he said.

　　“香蕉作为一种经济作物，不仅在当地出售，还在各地区和国际市场上销售。”伯特伦说。香蕉出口可为出产国提供工作机会和并赚取外汇。

　　Bertram said USAID is organizing a worldwide effort to stop the growth of Panama disease.

　　伯特伦表示美国国际开发署正在世界范围内努力控制巴拿马疾病蔓延。

　　A fungus, known as TR4, causes the Panama disease.

　　一种叫做黄叶病热带第4型的真菌引起巴拿马疾病。

　　Before 2013, Bertram said, it was limited to Asia – China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan. Since then, it spread to the Middle East – Jordan, Lebanon, Oman and Pakistan and to Africa, in Mozambique.

　　伯特伦说，2013年之前，在亚洲的中国、印度尼西亚、马来西亚、菲律宾、阿曼和巴基斯坦;非洲的莫桑比克，该病毒曾被控制。

　　In the 1960s, the same fungus wiped out the ‘Gros Michel’ banana crop, which at the time was the world’s most popular. The Cavendish replaced it.

　　20世纪60年代，但是世界上最为流行的大麦克香蕉遭到了同种真菌的侵袭，之后卡文迪什香蕉取而代之。

　　John McQuaid, author of “Tasty: The Art and Science of What We Eat” said some people think the Gros Michels “tasted better.”

　　約翰·麦奎德是《品味的科学：从地球生命的第一口，到饮食科学研究最前线》(Tasty: The Art and Science of What We Eat)的作者。他说，有人认为大麦克香蕉的口感更好。

　　At Wageningen University in the Netherlands, researchers are looking for Cavendish replacements. Their work is difficult. Researchers said a replacement will have to resist Panama disease, and survive the shipping time needed to get bananas to stores thousands of miles away from banana fields.

　　在荷兰的瓦赫宁根大学，研究人员正在寻找能取代卡文迪什香蕉的新品种。这是一项艰巨的工作。研究人员表示，新香蕉必须能够抵抗巴拿马疾病，并能经受得起长时间运输，因为香蕉都要被运送到香蕉田几千公里之外。

　　And, yes, they will have to taste good.

　　除此之外，这些香蕉还需可口美味。

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