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　　Disease Threatens World Banana Supplies

　　疾病威脅全球香蕉供應

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

　　一種名叫“巴拿馬”的疾病正在威脅全球最受歡迎的水果——香蕉的供應。

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

　　兩年前，聯合國警告說“巴拿馬病毒”會摧毀全球大量香蕉樹。

　　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.

　　自那時起，情況就沒有好轉。去年澳大利亞爆發了新的疾病。該病毒20世紀90年代起源于亞洲，后又傳播至非洲和中東地區。

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

　　世界衛生組的官員擔心該疾病會傳播至拉丁美洲，那里是全球最大的香蕉出產地。

　　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.

　　由于香蕉買賣是重要的收入來源，且香蕉又富含數百萬人需要營養素，此次疾病無疑是一個大問題。有135個熱帶地區的國家盛產香蕉。

　　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.

　　聯合國將香蕉與水稻、小麥和玉米同列為最重要的食物。聯合國表示，2011年，香蕉產量為107公噸。

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

　　一網站(http://www.ultimatesuperfoods.org/)上說香蕉富含血清素，該物質可使人感到愉悅。

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

　　該網站這樣形容香蕉：“無論你是誰，你都會有平靜和積極的感覺。”

　　Concern in the banana industry

　　香蕉產業的憂慮

　　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.”

　　蘭迪·普羅茲(Randy Ploetz)是美國佛羅里達大學(University of Florida)熱帶研究和教育中心(Tropical Research and Educational Center)的教授。他被廣譽為美國頂尖香蕉專家。

　　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.

　　他解釋說，巴拿馬疾病對卡文迪什香蕉產量有極大影響。香蕉約有500余種，卡文迪什香蕉是其中的一種且是最流行的一種。

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

　　“該產業正在面臨一個棘手的問題，”普羅茲說：“人們對此都很恐懼。”

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

　　周四他從弗羅里達邁阿密打來電話時這樣表示，他正在那里參加1000人的國際香蕉會議。

　　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.

　　普羅茲說，該會議本應在哥斯達黎加召開，但于最后時刻變換了開會地點，這是因為擔心蕉農會將鞋子上沾染的病菌傳播至他處。

　　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.

　　普羅茲說，有報道稱卡文迪什香蕉將會絕產有誤。但如果該疾病擴散至拉丁美洲，將嚴重損害世界經濟和涉及千家萬戶的食品供應。

　　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.

　　他說目前還有希望，澳大利亞的科學家們正在研究可抵抗巴拿馬疾病的轉基因香蕉。但普羅茲不確定人們是否會接受轉基因香蕉。

　　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.

　　羅伯特·伯特倫是美國國際開發署(USAID)的首席科學家。他說香蕉對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.

　　“對于生活在非洲、亞洲和熱帶美洲的一億人來說，香蕉和大蕉是重要的食物來源。”他告訴美國之音。

　　“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.

　　“香蕉作為一種經濟作物，不僅在當地出售，還在各地區和國際市場上銷售。”伯特倫說。香蕉出口可為出產國提供工作機會和并賺取外匯。

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

　　伯特倫表示美國國際開發署正在世界范圍內努力控制巴拿馬疾病蔓延。

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

　　一種叫做黃葉病熱帶第4型的真菌引起巴拿馬疾病。

　　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.

　　伯特倫說，2013年之前，在亞洲的中國、印度尼西亞、馬來西亞、菲律賓、阿曼和巴基斯坦;非洲的莫桑比克，該病毒曾被控制。

　　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世紀60年代，但是世界上最為流行的大麥克香蕉遭到了同種真菌的侵襲，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·麥奎德是《品味的科學：從地球生命的第一口，到飲食科學研究最前線》(Tasty: The Art and Science of What We Eat)的作者。他說，有人認為大麥克香蕉的口感更好。

　　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.

　　在荷蘭的瓦赫寧根大學，研究人員正在尋找能取代卡文迪什香蕉的新品種。這是一項艱巨的工作。研究人員表示，新香蕉必須能夠抵抗巴拿馬疾病，并能經受得起長時間運輸，因為香蕉都要被運送到香蕉田幾千公里之外。

　　And, yes, they will have to taste good.

　　除此之外，這些香蕉還需可口美味。

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