A recent article in the journal Nature says the world's most popular banana export is being threatened by a fungus that rots and kills healthy banana plants. 

The fungus has already been found in plantations in Africa and the Middle Eas. Now banana growers and harvesters are racing to keep the fungus from spreading to Latin America, which accounts for 80 percent of the fruit's worldwide exports.

The fungus has a particularly devastating effect on the Cavendish banana, which is the most popular and widely exported variety. Further spreading of the fungus could be catastrophic.  

Dan Koeppel, author of "Banana: The Fate of the Fruit that Changed the World" and an expert on all things banana, joins the show to explain.