Part 1 Banana production and its challenges
1. The origin, domestication and dispersal of bananas: Hugo Volkaert, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Thailand;
2. Understanding the banana industry: monoculture and beyond: Dan Koeppel, Independent Journalist and Researcher, USA;
3. Banana cultivation in Africa: W. K. Tushemereirwe and J. Kubiriba, National Agricultural Research Laboratories, Uganda;
4. Challenges and opportunities for smallholders in banana value chains: William Tinzaara, Bioversity International, Uganda; Dietmar Stoian, Bioversity International, France, Walter Ocimati, Enoch Kikulwe and Gloria Otieno, Bioversity International, Uganda; and Guy Blomme, Bioversity International, Ethiopia;
Part 2 Improving practices across the banana value chain
5. A functional approach to bunch formation in banana: D. W. Turner, School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Australia; and D. J. Gibbs, Consultant, Australia;
6. Banana plant propagation methods: Sharon D. Hamill, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Australia;
7. Conserving banana germplasm through field genebanks: Mike Smith, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Australia;
8. Good agricultural practices: an end or a starting point for more sustainable banana production?: Charles Staver, Bioversity International, France;
9. Challenges in cultivation of bananas in the subtropics: Víctor Galán Saúco, Instituto Canario de Investigaciones Agrarias, Spain;
10. Nutrition and soil management in banana cultivation: Jetse J. Stoorvogel, Wageningen University, The Netherlands; and Rafael A. Segura, CORBANA S.A., Costa Rica;
11. Harvesting and packaging of bananas: Juan José Aycart, Dole, Ecuador;
12. Ripening systems for bananas: Frits Popma, Popma Fruit Expertise, The Netherlands;
Part 3 Assessing and improving sustainability
13. Life cycle assessment and carbon footprint of banana cultivation: Louis Bockel, Laure-Sophie Schiettecatte and Orane Debrune, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Italy;
14. Sustainable banana cultivation: from standards to multiple solutions: Sietze Vellema and Kees Jansen, Wageningen University, The Netherlands;
15. Organic banana cultivation and sustainability: Frans Wielemaker, Consultant (formerly Director of Research at Dole Fresh Fruit International), Costa Rica