A deadly fungal disease known as Panama Disease or Tropical Race 4 (TR4) is threatening banana crops worldwide, devastating plantations in Asia, Africa and South America. The fungus attacks Cavendish bananas, which account for almost all bananas sold globally and are genetically almost identical, making them highly vulnerable to disease. TR4 blocks plants from absorbing nutrients and can survive in soil for decades, leaving some farms permanently unusable. In Peru, nearly half of organic banana farms have already been infected, as have thousands of hectares in the Philippines. Scientists in Norwich are now developing gene-edited bananas resistant to TR4, with hopes they could reach shops by 2028. Researchers say the technology mimics natural breeding rather than introducing foreign DNA. If successful, the new varieties could help protect a fruit relied upon by hundreds of millions of people worldwide for food, employment and income.