This is a small family of only abouT 40 species in Two genera (musa and enseTe) found in weT Tropical lowlands, alThough recenTly one or Two species have been found in higher laTiTudes. They are grown mainly for Their fruiT, The banana, and for Their fibres, manila and hemp, used for making rope. They are also grown as ornamenTal planTs

Taxonomy

GenusChrom

no. Section DistributionNo. species Uses

Ensete 9 W. Africa,New Guinea

7–8 Fibers, vegetation (soft portions of stem)

Musa 10 Australimusa Australia to Philippines

5–6 Fiber (Abacá)

10 Callimusa Indochina, Indonesia

5–6 Ornamentals

11 Eumusa S. Indian,Japan, Samoa

9–10 Fruit, fiber, veg

11 Rhodochlamys India, Indonesia

5–6 Ornamentals

The plant is a gigantic herb.Banana is a basic staple in tropical countries and was consumed before recorded history in Southeast Asia.

There are basically two kinds:banana (consumed mostly as fresh fruit)plantain (cooking banana)

family: musaceaegenus: musaspecies: m. acuminaTam. balbisiana

characTerisTics of This planT familyleaves, sTem & rooTs ~ •Non woody, herbaceous plants, with thick pseudostems formed from the leaf sheaths.•Leaves are very large, sheathing the stem, and arranged spirally with a thick oval midrib, veins running from the midrib to the leaf margin. The leaves are initially entire, but torn by the wind.•The genus Musa produces new perennial plants from rhizomatous roots, while in the genus Ensete are unbranched and monocarpic.

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planT sTrucTuremonocoT

• perennial herb– All leaves/inflorescence

origin from under ground corm• Spreads via rhizomes• Plants “walk”

– Largest plant without woody trunk• Pseudostem

– Fruits once

flowers ~ • The flowers are bracteate and terminal, produced

from the growing points of the basal corms.• They are irregular and unisexual, the female flowers

are in clusters ('hands'), while the male flowers are on the end of the flower spike. There are two whorls of three petal-like segments, and five stamens.

Pollination is often by bats or lizards Three types of flowers on inflorescence

• Female flowers - develop into fruit• Hermaphroditic flowers• Male flowers

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Banana flowers

Banana inflorescence

MATURING BANANA INFLORESCENCE

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BOTANICALLy ThE BANANA IS A BERRy ONE pISTIL

ONE OR MANy SEEd

Seed Remnants

SEEDS~ •The ovary is inferior, the fruit is a fleshy berry with many stony seeds.•The edible Banana is a hybrid and does not produce seeds

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BANANA VARIETIES• Cavendish– Currently the leading for export– Heavy production, cycle 11 months– Smaller plant (2-3 m) - less wind damage– Marginal post harvest qualities• Does not ripen uniformly - use special

chambers• Susceptible to bruising and discoloration

– Shipped packed in boxes– Resistant to Panama disease

Gros Michel (Big Mike) Leading for 100 years Good production, cycle 13-15 months Tall plants (4-8 m), wind damage Good post harvest qualities

Ripened uniformly Resistant to bruising and discoloration

Shipped as bunches Susceptible to Panama disease

Replaced by Cavendish - resistant to Panama disease

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Tissue Culture: •This method of propagation is increasing to provide disease free stock.

•The big problem is to reduce off types from tissue-culture induced variability.

•Some variants occur with very high frequency and careful control is need to reduce their frequency.

Banana

Cultural Practices:•Deep planting gives sturdier tree.

•Planting time is best carried out before wet season to give maximum growth unless irrigation is available.

•Dry season, however, gives less disease.

•Spring planting is the rule in the subtropics.

•Roots of banana are shallow so tillage should be minimum.

•Use of herbicides allows clean cultivation.

Pruning and Staking:•The removal of unwanted suckers is known as pruning.

•These are cut at or below ground level.

•The critical management problem is to set up the follow-up plant to get the desired spread in fruiting in relation to market price or weather.

•It is undesirable to get two plants giving fruit at the same time.

•Staking is used to prevent blowdown.

•In Taiwan government only compensates staked field after blowdown.

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Production

Fruiting Stem

1st ReplacementDaughter

2nd ReplacementGrand daughter

Fruiting Mat

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January 15.5 C isotherm

June 15.5 C isotherm

1,270 mm isohyets

1,270 mm isohyets

Banana Cultivation and ClimateMost Banana/Plantain Production within Region with

Winter Temperate Greater than 15.5 C (60 F) and Rainfall greater than 1,270 mm (50”)

(Figure 6.1 from Simmonds, 1966)

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Banana plants Take 8-9 months to f lower

11-14 leaves Six leaves needed for good production

Bunch take 3 months to develop

Fruit ing cycle for Dwar f Cavendish is 11 months

•100 gm edible pulp•85 calories, mostly carbohydrates•Vitamin, A, C, B1, B2, niacin•Minerals, very high in K

•Reduce risk of high blood pressure and strokes.

•Fruit Protection•Blue plastic bags are placed around fruit stems to increase yield.•Removal of withered style suggested to preventdisease in ‘Gros Michel’ but may abscise naturally.•Removal of male bud may lighten bunch.

•nutritionAL VALue

Fruit Ripening:•Bananas are harvested in the green stage and ripening is controlled by temperature and ethylene.

•Because of long distance shipment, proper harvest time and ripening procedures is the key factor in the commercial industry.

•Ripening bananas may be held 56 to 60°F; lower temperatures cause chilling injury and discoloration of the skin.

•If kept at low humidity fruit gets mealy at any temperature.

Banana

BANANA GREENHOUSE

Banana

Banana as an intercrop