This isn't a new article but it's an interesting read on history and cultivation of bananas.

"Pity the banana. Despite its unmistakably phallic appearance, it hasn’t had sex for thousands of years. The world’s most erotic fruit is a sterile, seedless mutant—and therein lies a problem. The banana is genetically old and decrepit.

increasing standardization of food crops is threatening their ability to adapt and survive. Popular fruits are at risk more than most. Your favorite could be on the verge of extinction."


http://conservationmagazine.org/2008/09/the-sterile-banana/