Species

• The banana belongs to the family Musaceae. There are only two genera, viz., Ensete and Musa with about 50 species in this family. Ensete is an old declining genus, which probably originated in Asia and spread to Africa, has about 6-7 species, of which E.ventricosa is reported to be grown in Ethiopia as a food crop.

Cultivars

• There are about 300 recorded cultivars of banana. The important cultivars are described below.

Poovan (Tamil Nadu)

The plant is tall, hardy and grows vigorously under the ratooning system of cultivation. It is a true cosmopolitan cultivar growing with equal vigour both in India and the West Indies.

• One of the distinguishing characters of the plant is the rose-pink colour on the outer side of midrib. It can grow under unirrigated condition or with scanty irrigation.

The fruit is medium to small, yellow skinned, firm fleshed with a sub-acid taste. It has a good keeping quality. It is resistant to Panama wilt and fairly resistant to bunchy top disease. The average bunch weight is about 15 kg.

Kanchkela (West Bengal)

• This is the most important commercial culinary banana cultivar of India. The plant is tall, robust, light green, very hardy and grows under unirrigated condition. Average bunch weight is about 15 kg. In Tamil Nadu, the ripe fruit is also popular.

Dwarf Cavendish

It is the leading commercial cultivar of Maharashtra. The plant is dwarf, fruits large, curved, skin thick and greenish, flesh soft and sweet.

• The greenish colour of the fruit is retained to some extent even after ripening, but fruits ripen during the winter season develop yellow colour. It is susceptible to bunchy top and leaf spot disease but resistant to Panama Wilt. The keeping quality of fruit is, however, not good. A bunch on an average weighs about 20 kg.

Harichal

• Bombay green (Maharashtra), Peddapachaarati (Andhra Pradesh), Robusta (Tamil Nadu). It is a semi-tall sport of Dwarf Cavendish. It is another important commercial banana of Maharashtra. Fruits are large, skin thick, greenish to dull yellow, sweet and delicious. The fruits have better keeping quality than that of Dwarf Cavendish. Average bunch weight is about 20 kg.

Martaman (West Bengal)

• Musa (AAB) group-Syn. Rasthali (Tamil Nadu), Mutheli (Maharashtra), Malbhog (Bihar), Amruthapani (Andhra Pradesh), Rassabale (Karnataka), Sonkel (Kerala), Silkfig (Trinidad).
• It is the choicest table cultivar of West Bengal. The plant is tall and can be identified by the yellowish green stem with brownish blotches, reddish margins of the petiole and leaf sheath. The average bunch weight is about 12 kg. Fruits are medium-sized and similar to that of Poovan in appearance, skin thin, ivory-yellow in colour, flesh firm, sweet with a pleasant aroma. Its cultivation is decreasing due to susceptibility to Panama wilt. The other demerits are easy dropping of ripe fruits from the bunch and formation of hard lumps in the pulp.

Hill Banana

• Musa (AAB) group-Virupakshi Syn. Mala vazhai. The hill banana is a speciality of Tamil Nadu. These are perennial bananas of high quality. There are two main types: Sirumalai and Virupakshi. Fruits of Sirumalai have better taste compared with Virupakshi. The average bunch weight is about 12 kg.

Nendran (Kerala)

This cultivar is known in all parts of the world as plantain. This is a dual-purpose cultivar of Kerala. It has very good keeping quality. The fruit is relatively longer and thicker than most other bananas. The bunch is not compact. The average bunch weight is 15 kg.

Safed Velchi

• It is under stray cultivation throughout South India and Maharashtra and mostly grown as intercrop in coconut and arecanut garden. The plants are medium-sized with slender, yellowish pseudostem having reddish petiole margin. The fruits are small, firm-fleshed and sweet. The average bunch weight is about 12 kg.

Lalkela (Maharashtra)

• This cultivar is grown throughout the world. The colour of the pseudostem petiole, midrib and fruit peel is purplush red. The fruit is of good size and has a characteristic aroma. Average bunch weight is 20 kg.

Kunnan (Kerala)

This is a quality cultivar of Kerala. The plants are medium-sized and slender. Fruits with firm pulp, taste well.

Gros Michel

Among the dessert banana cultivars of the world, Gros Michel occupied the first rank in desirable fruit characters, such as size, quality, flavour, attractive skin colour, resistance to bruising, grade yield, symmetry and strength of bunch. The most serious demerit of this cultivar is its susceptibility to wilt.

Giant Governor

• Musa (AAA) group-Cultivation of this cultivar is gaining popularity in West Bengal. The plant is medium-dwarf, fruits large, greenish to dull yellow in colour, flesh firm and sweet. A bunch on an average weighs about 15 kg. the cultivar is susceptible to leaf spot (sigatoka) but resistant to wilt.

Wt. In Kg No.of fruits No.of hands Duration Spacing

p 12 p 80-100 p 8-10 p 13-14 p 2.0X2.0 m

Characteristics

• This is a choice table fruit. The plant suckers moderately and is medium tall and does not bear heavily.
• The fruit is better in size to Poovan more rounded with a glossy green colour and the tip is less pronounced.
• The rind is thin and develops an ivory yellow colour when ripe. The flesh is white, rather firm but tasty with a characteristic flavour.
• Occasionally hard lumps develop in the pulp which is a drawback. It is highly resistant to Leaf Spot but very susceptible to 'Panama' disease.
• It is exported to Orissa and West Bengal. It is suitable for the entire State. But it is not grown in Rayalaseema and Telangana Regions.

Wt. In Kg No.of fruits No.of hands Duration Spacing

- 6-8 - 60-70, - 5-6 - 12 months - 2.0X2.0

Characteristics

• This variety is considered the best of bananas in Circars. The plant is thin and medium size easily recognised by its whitish, sheaths, petioles and midribs, and pinkish petiolor margins, small and loose bunches with short stout slightly curved fruits glistening green and fairly rounded with a conspicuous apex.
• The rind is thick, pulp yellowish and too soft but tasty with characteristic pleasant aroma. The fruit is ripe inside.
• Even when the rind is partially yellow and greenish at the tips. It is specially given to sick and convalescing people.
• It is highly priced in the market for its characteristic taste, aroma and quality. The keeping quality is poor.
• The attachment of the fruit to the cushion is very fragile when raw and is very strong when ripe. It is immune to Panama disease but susceptible to Moko" disease and Leaf Spot.
• It also demands fertile soils and heavy organic manuring. It is not suitable to Rayalaseema and Telangana regions where the temperatures are high and the soils are not fertile.

Wt. In Kg No.of fruits No.of hands Duration Spacing

10-15 10-15 10-12 12 months 2.0x2.0 m

Characteristics

• This is a popular table banana and the foremost commercial variety contributing to 70% of the total crop. It is hardy and grows extremely vigorous, under perennial, garden and wet land systems of cultivation.
• Easily recognised by its pinkish-purple midribs and big cylindrical bunches of tightly packed, short, plump, bottlenecked fruits. The fruits are of medium size and have a distinct tip.
• The rind is thin and pulp is cream coloured with a sub-acid taste. The bunches keep well, the fingers holding even at late ripeness, with attractive bright yellow colour.
• The plant is immune to Panama disease, is virtually immune to Leaf Spot. It is also tolerant to poor soils and drought.

Wt. In Kg No.of fruits No.of hands Duration Spacing

12-15 70-80 5-6 13 2.0X2.0 m

Characteristics

• This is the foremost cooking variety of the state. The fruits are long slightly curved with prominent ridges and blunt apex.
• The rind is thick and green with whitish pulp. The male bud is also used for culinary purpose, Suitable for entire state.

Wt. In Kg No.of fruits No.of hands Duration Spacing

20 130 9-10 11-12 2.0X2.0

Characteristics

It is semi-tall with a little more stature than dwarf varieties. The petiole margins are spread out and tinged purple. It is little less susceptible to wind damage. It has a slightly thicker and more rigid bunch stalk, it is a heavy yielder. The fruits are big, slightly angular, and curved. The ribs are not distinct. The rind colour continues to be light green.

• The pulp is creamy white, soft and buttery. The seed core is prominent. It is mostly grown in Rayalaseema.
• It is very susceptible to Moko wilt, bunchy top and leaf spot but immune to Panama disease. It is suitable for the Entire State.

Wt. In Kg No.of fruits No.of hands Duration Spacing

- 12-15 - 120 - 8-10 - 11 - 1.5X1.5

Characteristics

• This is the most widespread clone in existence. It bears well under a wide range of conditions and is the basis of nearly all the sub tropical banana trades. It suckers sparsely.
• Its low stature makes it less susceptible to wind damage than most other bananas.
• But in winter in the subtropics, the stature permits Chilling which a taller clone may avoid, and it is susceptible to Choke.
• The petiole is short, thick and adaxial channel wide open. Bunches are heavy, compact and pendant persistent male flowers are noted.
• The fruit size is medium too big. The flesh is pale yellow and sweet.
• It is very susceptible to leaf spot, Moko wilt and Bunchy-Top, but immune to Panama disease. It is suitable for the entire state.

Wt. In Kg No.of fruits No.of hands Duration Spacing

- 15-20 - 75-100 - 6-7 - 13 - 2.0X2.0

Characteristics

• It is cooking variety and a sport with heavier bunches of bigger size and superior quality fruits. Fruits are larger, stout will less prominent ridges and bottleneck apex.
• The rind is thick and green with whitish pulp. The plants are tall sturdy and suckers freely, waxy bloom is present over petioles and young regions, susceptible to leaf spot and Panama disease.
• Fruit bunches are heavy, pendent and not compact, suitable for the entire state.