
Banana
Resource by Plusfarm
Banana, fruit of the genus Musa, of the family Musaceae, one of the most important fruit crops of the world. The banana is grown in the tropics, and, though it is most widely consumed in those regions, it is valued worldwide for its flavour, nutritional value, and availability throughout the year. Cavendish, or dessert, bananas are most commonly eaten fresh, though they may be fried or mashed and chilled in pies or puddings. They may also be used to flavour muffins, cakes, or breads. Cooking varieties, or plantains, are starchy rather than sweet and are grown extensively as a staple food source in tropical regions; they are cooked when ripe or immature. A ripe fruit contains as much as 22 percent of carbohydrate and is high in dietary fibre, potassium, manganese, and vitamins B6 and C.
Varieties
Cultivation
Pests and Diseases / Commonly Used Agrochemicals
DISEASE |
SYMPTOMS |
MANAGEMENT |
Fusarium
wilt/panama disease |
Collapsed
and dropping dried leaves Yellowing
of older leaves;brown red ring like lines |
Uproot
affected banana stools in the farm,shred/cut into pieces and burn or bury Spray
carbendazim(rodazim,pearl) and propamocarb(previcur) |
Black
sigatoka/black streak |
Tiny leaf
spots that appear on the bottom surface of the third/fourth open leaf When the
disease is severe leaves blacken and appear water-soaked |
Remove/burn
infected leaves Use under
canopy drip irrigation to reduce splash dispersal Lower
humidity as much as possible by ensuring optimum ventilation/aeration Avoid
shade from trees Wide
spacing Rows
should be oriented in the direction of wind to enhance aeration Copper
hydroxide,chlorothalonil and mancozeb can be use as they are protectant
fungicide Propiconazole,tebuconazole
and azoxystrobin can be used as they are systemic fungicides |
Cigar end
rot |
Dry rot of
flower end that produces ash grey wrinkled lesions similar to burnt end of a
cigar |
Plantation
should have enough aeration Field
hygiene Placing
polyethylene sleeves over the stems before hands emerge Bunches
should be opened up to the light Spray
copper oxychloride, carbendazim or dithane |
Anthracnose |
Dark
brown/black lesions on green fruit On yellow
fruit these lesions increase in size The skin
of the fruit turns black and shrivels |
Spray
copper oxychloride, carbendazim or benomyl Use
plastic coverings on emerging fruit to prevent infection. Avoid
damaging fruit tissue during harvest and storage. Remove
decaying plant parts such as leaves. Actively
remove weeds and other non-crop species from plots to reduce favorable humid
conditions for fungal infection |
Banana
weevil |
severe
infestation is reduced plant growth, choking of the bunch in the pseudostem,
yellow leaves and weak or dying suckers |
Selecting
vigorous healthy planting material obtained from plants free of weevils.
Examine planting material by taking one or two slices from it. If grubs,
pupae or tunnels are present, the material should be destroyed. Paring
(trimming). If clean planting material is not available, the planting material should be pared (trimmed) to reduce the number of eggs and grubs. Hot
water treatment. Recommendations suggest immersing clean trimmed suckers in a
bath with hot water at 52 to 55degC for 15 to 27 minutes before planting |
Post Harvest
Good
harvesting practice is a key requirement to assuring the quality of fruits.
Recommended good practice for harvesting, include:
✦ Placing a prop that can be made by
two crisscrossing bamboo poles or forked angle branches and cutting below the
prop, followed by removal of the prop to allow the trunk to fall gently to the
ground. “Light three-quarters” is the stage of maturity at which sharp angles
are still present. At the “light full three-quarters,” stage, also termed
“three-quarters full” or “three-quarters round”, the fingers are still angular.
The fingers are full when they are well rounded . The intermediate between
“full” and “light three-quarters” is “full three-quarters,” also referred to as
“high three-quarters” or “heavy three-quarters” Bananas harvested at full
maturity will develop good peel and pulp color, with full aroma and flavor at
the ripe stage. Fruits harvested at an immature stage are of poor quality upon
ripening. Harvesting at an advanced stage of maturity on the other hand, may be
unsuitable for long-distance shipment since ripening will occur during shipment
and result in fruit having a shorter shelf life. Minimizing damage,
contamination, and deterioration during harvesting and field handling
✦
Every effort must be made to prevent contact of harvested bunches of bananas
with the soil, by placing the harvested bananas on top of banana leaves.
✦ Latex staining of field-de-handed
bananas must be prevented by placing bananas on top of leaves with the rib (of
the leaves) exposed.
✦
When field-packing de-handed bananas, the crown portion must be wrapped until
the mid portion of the hand with paper to prevent abrasion and latex
staining of other fruits.
✦
Bananas must not be exposed to the sun as this will lead to rapid moisture loss
and rapid ripening. Shade can be provided by using a canvass tent in the field
or by covering with layers of banana leaves.
✦ Banana bunches must be placed on top
of cushioning material when being transported from the farm to the collection
site or packing shed, in order to avoid bruising and injury