Genus Musa Section Eumusa Bananas and Plantains Section Eumusa Q Major species of economic importance – Musa acuminata (A genome) – Musa balbisiana (B genome) Family: Musaceae – Musa balbisiana (B genome) Q Ploidy levels of commercial bananas Genus: Musa – Diploid, AA and BB Species: – Triploid, AAA, AAB, ABB M. acuminata – Tetraploid, AAAA, AABB, ABBB M. balbisiana Q Major evolutionary events – Probably millennia ago Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Types of Bananas Banana Origin and Domestication Q Banana – Desert banana, fresh Reached Europe consumption by 1516 – AAA ABB AAB ABBB Before 200 AD Q Plantain AB AAB Industry developed in Late 19th Century AAA ABB – Cooking, Meal, AA AABB AA AAAB Vegetable banana AAA Vegetable banana AAB – Plátano, banano macho – AAB or ABB Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Banana Cultivation and Climate Adaptation: Hot Humid Tropics Most Banana/Plantain Production within Region with Winter Temperate Greater than 15.5 C (60 F) and Q Temperature Rainfall greater than 1,270 mm (50”) – Frost free – Mean temperature of 27 C (80 F) January 15.5 C isotherm – Minimum winter temp of 15.5 C (60 F) 1,270 mm isohyets Q Moisture – Rain, 100 mm (4.0”) per month 1,270 mm isohyets Q Soil – Good drainage is needed – Good drainage is needed June 15.5 C isotherm – Slightly acid, pH 5.5 to 6.5 (Figure 6.1 from Simmonds, 1966) Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University 1 Banana Cultivation and Climate Banana Cultivation and Climate Bananas Grown for Local Consumption Bananas Grown for Export = T January 15.5 C isotherm January 15.5 C isotherm B 1,270 mm isohyets B 1,270 mm isohyets B T B T B B B B B B B B B T T T B B B B B B B BT T B B B B T TTB B B B B T B B B B B B B T B B B 1,270 mm isohyets B B 1,270 mm isohyets B B B B T BB BBT T T T June 15.5 C isotherm June 15.5 C isotherm (Figure 6.1 from Simmonds, 1966) (Figure 6.1 from Simmonds, 1966) Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University World Production Weather Problems (1,000s mt) Q Wind Region Bananas Plantains – 15-20 mph - leaf damage, twisting, breakage Africa 7,051 22,478 – 40 mph - considerable damage – 60 mph - complete destruction Asia 40,738 996 Q Why Americas 24,378 1,835 – Pseudostem not as strong as woody stem Total 72,167 25,309 – Large leaves that catch wind – Shallow root system FAOSTAT database, 2000-2002 Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University World Production World Production (%) Leading Producing Countries Region Bananas Plantains Region Bananas Plantains Africa 10% 89% Africa Burundi, Uganda, Uganda, Rwanda, Egypt, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Congo Ivory Coast Asia 56% 4% Asia India, Philippines, Myanmar, Sri Lanka China, Indonesia, Americas 34% 7% Thailand Americas Ecuador, Brazil, Costa Colombia, Peru, Total (1,000s mt) 72,167 25,309 Rica, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Guatemala Cuba FAOSTAT database, 2000-2002 FAOSTAT database, 2000-2002 Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University 2 World Production FAOSTAT database, 2000-2002 World Yields (mt/ha) Q Production Region Bananas Plantains – Bananas, 72 million MT (56% Asia) – Plantains, 25 million MT (89% Africa) Africa 6.5 5.6 Q Staple food for 70 million Africans – 90% grown on small farms and Asia 19.9 10.4 consumed locally – 10% exported from plantations Americas 18.7 10.0 Q Latin America and Caribbean region FAOSTAT database, 2000-2002 Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Plant Structure Monocot Banana Varieties Q Gros Michel (Big Mike) Q Perennial herb – Leading cv for 100 years – All leaves/inflorescence – Good production, cycle 13-15 months origin from under ground – Tall plants (4-8 m), wind damage corm – Good post harvest qualities Q Spreads via rhizomes Q Ripened uniformly Q Plants “walk” Q Resistant to bruising and discoloration – Largest plant without woody – Shipped as bunches trunk – Susceptible to Panama disease Q Pseudostem, leaf bases Q Replaced by Cavendish - resistant to Panama – Fruits once Replaced by Cavendish - resistant to Panama disease Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Many Locally Important Banana Varieties Varieties Q Cavendish – Currently the leading cv for export Q Active breeding – Heavy production, cycle 11 months – Heavy production, cycle 11 months in Africa, South – Smaller plant (2-3 m) - less wind damage America, and – Marginal post harvest qualities Asia Q Does not ripen uniformly - use special chambers Q Susceptible to bruising and discoloration – Shipped packed in boxes – Resistant to Panama disease Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University 3 Banana Flower Structure flower Q Three types of flowers on inflorescence – Female flowers - develop into fruit Female – Hermaphroditic flowers – Male flowers Q Fruit is a berry Male Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Banana Botanically the Banana is a Berry flower One pistil One or many seed Female Three months from Other Berries flowering to harvest Tomato Kiwi Seed Remnants Grape Persimmon Male Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Planting Production Cycle Q Density Q Propagation – 2.9 m (8.5’) square – Vegetative – 1,812 pl/ha (725 pl/ac) – Rhizomes that are 6-8” diameter Q Size of export plantation – Planted within hours of digging – Need to supply 36,000 mt/year – Special fields for production of – Yield 40 mt/ha -> 1,000 ha rhizomes for new orchards – Supply 1,000 mt/ship every 10 days Q Nematode problems – Four years to attain commercial – Hot water treatment (65°C) production – Chemical dips Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University 4 Production Training and Plant Selection Q Banana plants – Take 8-9 months to flower Q Banana plants “walk” Q 11-14 leaves – Select and train sucker for next crop Q Six leaves needed for good production to not interfere with growing bunch – Bunch take 3 months to develop – When harvest fruit the sucker should – Fruiting cycle for Dwarf Cavendish is be 2 m (5-6’) 11 months – Eliminate suckers that are Q Poorly positioned Q Banana plants “walk” Q Too small Q Unhealthy Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Production Panama Disease Fruiting Stem Q Fusarium oxysporum – Caused the demise of Gros Michel 1st Replacement – Plantains are generally resistant Daughter Q Control 2nd Replacement – Resistant varieties Grand daughter – New strain of the pathogen in Asia overcomes Cavendish resistance gene Fruiting Mat Q Need to develop a wider range of varieties for the export market Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Black Sigatoka Panama Disease Banana Leaf Spot Q Mycosphaerella - Cercospora – Native to Southeast Asia Q History – Early 1960s - Pacific and Asia – Early 1970s - Latin America – Late 1970s - Gabon in Africa - spread through Africa Q Symptoms – Small translucent pale yellow streaks – Necrotic lesions (light gray w/ yellow halo) – Lesions coalesce and destroy leaf Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University 5 Black Sigatoka Bagging of the Fruit Banana Leaf Spot Q Weekly inspection – Last true hand is 4” long Q Yield Losses - by losing leaf area – Remove terminal end of bunch – This is generally not a problem in mixed – Mark with ribbon - colors change with the – 50% yield loss week – Also cause premature ripening in harvested – Cover with perforated polyethylene bag fruit Q Why Q Control – Protection – Mixed plantings Q Pests Q Generally not a serious problem Q Damage from leaves – Monoculture Q Dust and dirt Q Fungicides (Manzate) – Advance ripening Q Resistant varieties Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Supporting the Crop Fertility Q 52% of plant weight is the raceme – Prop with poles Q Forty tons of bananas per hectare – Guide lines to base of adjacent plant – 80 kg N = 80 kg N – Leaf pruning can reduce problems with wind damage – 20 kg P2O5 = 9 kg P with wind damage – 240 kg K2O = 200 kg K Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Harvest Q Crew harvests at 3-4 day intervals – Look for colored ribbons which indicate age of bunch Q Minimum size – 5 hands Q Cable system runs – Pick green, with certain size from banana field Q Banana bunch weighs 90-110 lbs to the packing – Two man operation house – Hung on hook on cable system Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University 6 Fruit Packing and Grading Fruit Packing and Grading Q Pack in boxes Q Separate into – Only pack hands unblemished Q Wash to prevent fruit staining Q Pack in boxes Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Post Harvest Nutritional Value Q Storage temperature Q 100 gm edible pulp – 57 - 59 F – 85 calories, mostly carbohydrates – Below 56 F may cause chilling injury – Vitamin, A, C, B1, B2, niacin Q Bananas are ripened for marketing – Minerals, very high in K – 58-64 F Q Reduce risk of high blood pressure and strokes – Ethylene treatment Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University Any Questions? 7.