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It's not easy being yellow: bananas now face two separate fungal epidemics, which threaten to pluck the fruit off of our tables. Fortunately, researchers have now sequenced banana DNA, producing the genome of a banana variety that may hold the secret to defeating the diseases. The report is in the journal Nature.
香蕉长成黄色也不简单：现在流行真菌病毒，会严重威胁到香蕉产量。幸运的是，研究人员已经重组了香蕉的DNA重组，获得变种香蕉基因，这组基因或许隐含着预防疾病入侵的秘密。这份研究报告发表在《自然》杂志上。
Today, half of all bananas, including the ones you probably buy, belong to the Cavendish variety, whose popularity stems in part from having no seeds. But this trait also removes sexual reproduction from the equation. The bananas are thus all genetically identical—and identically vulnerable to the two fungal epidemics, Panama disease and black leaf streak disease.
如今有一半的香蕉，包括市场上销售的，都属于板烟香蕉品种，这种香蕉因为无子而大受欢迎。这种特性也从生存法则上消除了有性生殖。因此所有的香蕉基因全部一样，同样全部不受两种真菌病毒的侵害：黄叶病毒和黑色条斑病毒。
Researchers sequenced the genome of a banana variety called DH-Pahang, whose genes contributed to the Cavendish. While the genome shows where this fruit fits in the history of plant evolution, it could also help researchers understand why DH-Pahang, unlike its descendant, is resistant to the funguses behind both Panama and black leaf streak disease.
研究者重组了一种叫做“DH-Pahang”香蕉变种基因组，这种基因是培育出板烟香蕉品种的关键。既然基因组能显示出水果在植物进化史上的地位，那么也能帮助研究人员了解为什么DH-Pahang能够抵抗黄叶病毒和黑色条斑病毒。
Knowing the genes responsible for this resistance could help breeders create stronger, more resistant bananas. Which has a lot of appeal.
了解基因对抵御这种疾病的作用，就能帮助果农培育出更结实，抗病能力更强的香蕉。这有很大的吸引力。
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