Millions depend on the banana to stay alive. With diseases threatening many banana varieties, scientists are searching for new hybrids. In a lively account, Canine described the research effort and the ingenious methods being used to breed a better banana. “This was such an evocative piece that I had to go home and eat a banana,” said Seth Borenstein of the Associated Press. “This article had everything you look for—depth, detail, significance and science. Truly an enjoyable read.”
Canine said he hopes his story brought "wider attention to the pressing scientific need to breed new, disease-resistant crop varieties for the use of subsistence farmers in Africa and elsewhere."