Toppled and uprooted banana plant. The toppling occurred due to the feeding and tunelling damage to the roots and corm, caused by the banana corm weevil (Cosmopolites sordidus ). |
 Supporting mature banana (Musa ap.) plants with boards or poles or twine can reduce the incidence of toppling. |
 A toppled banana (Musa sp.) plant in an area with poor drainage. Banana plants can be prone to toppling when they become heavy with fruit. |
 Coffee (Coffea arabica) plant toppled by high winds near Kona, Hawaii. |
 Banana (Musa sp.) plant toppled from the effects of burrowing nematodes (Radopholus similis). |
To topple is to to turn or cause to turn from a vertical or horizontal position.
Etymology. 1590, "tumble down," earlier "to tumble or roll about" (1542), from a verb derived from top (1) + freq. suffix -le.
Toppling usually occurs where plant have compromised root systems due to any number of factors, including plant pathognes and insect parasites, poor soil conditions or poor drainage, and high winds.