Sources of Information: DNCRDPSC Technoguide Series 2019
Commercial Banana Production, DNCRDC Technoguide No. 01 Series 2010. No. 01
Investment Package for Banana (Lakatan) in Luzon. PCARRD-DOST; Los Series 2015
Baños, Laguna, 2009.
The Philippine Recommends for Banana. Series No. 66-A, PCARRD-DOST,
1992.
Loquias, Virgilio L. Updates on the Production Technology of Banana. Bago
Oshiro, Davao City. DA-BPI-DNCRDC. 2012.
Herradura, Lorna E. PhD., Del Valle, Rosario A. & Pabuaya, Jonalyn A.
Banana (Musa spp.) Production Guide, BPI-DNCRDC, 2012.
(Unpublished)
Prepared by:
May P. Loquias
Senior Agriculturist
BPI-DNCRDPSC
For more information, please contact:
Lorna E. Herradura, Ph.D.
Agricultural Center Chief IV
BPI-DNCRDPSC
Bago-Oshiro, Davao City
lorna_herradur@yahoo.com
(082)293-0108
Ms. Concepcion E. Soguilon
Supervising Agriculturist
BPI-DNCRDPSC
Bago-Oshiro, Davao City
connie_soguilon@yhoo.com
(082)293-0108
Mr. Virgilio L. Loquias
Supervising Agriculturist
BPI-DNCRDPSC
Bago-Oshiro, Davao City
virgilioloquias@yahoo.com
(082)293-0108
Department of Agriculture
Bureau of Plant Industry
Davao National Crop Research, Development
and Production Support Center
Bago Oshiro, Davao City
Introduction Remove or sort out fruits with bruises, scabs, scars, oversized or
Lakatan is the most popular dessert banana in the Philippines and undersized, and small or malformed fingers.
the most highly priced variety in domestic markets. It is extensively Weigh fruits carefully
grown in backyards and commercial farms all over the country. Pack the fruits using either soft wood crates or
Lakatan flowers 9-10 months from planting and fruits can be harvested cartons (18-20 kgs capacity) lined with cool
3 months after flowering. It grows to an average height of 3 meters with and durable leaf sheaths, banana leaves, pol-
leaves in erect habit and compact bunch hanging vertically. The fruits yethylene plastic sheets or newspaper
are medium to large weighing 110-112 grams per fruit. The peel is
orange-yellow when ripe, thick and adherent to the pulp. The pulp is
pale orange-yellow, firm, sweet, aromatic, excellent in eating quality
and have high carotene content.
Production Technologies
Site Selection Three-years Estimated Cost & Return of a
1. Choose an area with access to irrigation water. One-Hectare Lakatan Banana Farm
2. The site should not be previously planted with Fusarium Wilt and
Moko disease infected plants.
Soil and Climatic Requirements
1. Deep, friable and well drained loam soil with high organic matter Items Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Total
content (2% or above) and pH ranging from 5-7.
2. An elevation at sea level up to 1,000 meters above sea level. Harvestable Fruits (kg) 21,600 43200 23040 87,840
3. Areas with not more than three months of distinct dry season. Gross Income (P) 432,000 864,000 460,800 1,756,800
Production Cost (P) 263,360 166,400 147,660 577,420
Selection of Planting Materials
1. Use ready to plant disease-free tissue cultured plantlets (five-leaf Establishment 64,060 64,060
stage) which are robust and green and sourced-out from recognized Care & Maintenance
and reputable nurseries. - Weeding & Cultivation 4,400 3,200 4,400 12,000
2. If suckers are preferred, obtain sword suckers from healthy mother - Fertilization 77,650 74,300 74,300 226,250
plants. - Irrigation 4,000 4,800 4,800 13,600
Land Preparation - Sucker Management 1,600 1,600 1,600 4,800
1. Clear the land by removing shrubs, weeds and other materials. - Mat Sanitation 2,300 2,400 2,400 7,100
2. Plow and harrow once if the area is previously planted with other Bunch Management 65,750 31,600 22,460 119,810
Managing Pests & Diseases 39,050 41,300 34,100 114,450
crops but not necessary if planted to coconut, provided that planting Harvesting 4,550 7,200 3,600 15,350
holes are bigger and deeper
3. Plow twice and harrow once if the area is newly opened.. Yearly Net Income (P) 168,640 697,600 313,140 1,179,380
5. Lay-out the field in a square system of planting at a distance of 2 m ROI (%) 64 419 212 204
x 2.5 m (2,000 plantlets/ha). Cumulative Production 263,360 429,760 577,420
6. Dig holes about 35 cm deep and 35 cm wide for open area or 45 cm Cost 168,640 866,240 1,179,380
deep and 45 cm wide if under coconut. Cumulative Net Income 64 201.56 204
Cumulative ROI(%)
Assumptions:
Fruits Farm Gate Price =P20.00/kg; Production costs include cost of supplies and
materials and cost of labor (P200/MD & P300/MAD. Plant population = 2000 hills/ha
which will decrease by 20% in the 2nd and 3rd year; Harvesting will be done at week-
PREPARATION OF PLANTING MATERIALS
ly interval from the last month of Year 1 and beyond.(60% of the plant crop will be
harvested in the first year and the remaining 40% will be in the second year.
1. Select only plump and well-developed seeds.
2. Carefully remove the flesh adhering the seed.
3. Germinate the seeds in light loamy soils or in germination beds with sawdust.
4. Germinated seedlings are ready for potting in 8” x 11” x .003 plastic bag when the first pair of leaves have developed
5. At 12-18 months from pricking, the rootstocks are ready for asexual propagation and at 6-12 months after grafting, the asexually propagated plants are ready for field planting.
Insect Pests Do regular weeding and stem and mat Field Planting
Aphids, mites, sanitation. 1. Handle plantlets properly by placing in slightly shaded areas and
mealy bugs Remove all possible hosts of insect pests. avoid injuries on the plants.
2. Plant early morning or late afternoon.
Spray infested plants with insecticides 3. Plant during or at the onset of the rainy season or anytime of the
including those healthy-looking plants year if there is irrigation.
within the surrounding . 4. Transplant plantlets using the following steps:
Monitor and inspect regularly for pests 5. Replant immediately if there are dead plants.
occurrence.
Fertilization Guide
Apply fertilizer before irrigating or when there is enough moisture.
Harvesting
Harvest12-14 months from shooting or
when the angularity of fingers are
90-100% full.
Cover the fertilizer with soil after application.
Harvest the Lakatan fruits with 90-100%
bunch prefera- full angularity of fingers.
bly in the
morning.
Cut the pseudostem slowly and partially
about 1/3 from the top for the bunch to fall slowly. Application Kind & Fertilization Method of
Cut the peduncle 30 cms from the first hand for easy handling and Time Rate per Mat Application
prevent fruit stains due to dropped latex. Before 100 g Complete Fertilizer (14-14-14) plus 1 Basal
Pile dried banana leaves on the ground that will serve as cushion for planting kg Organic fertilizer (chicken dung)
newly harvested bananas to prevent or minimize bruises and infection.
Put a cushion in the hauler’s shoulder in carrying the bananas to the 2-3 months 25-30 g 14-14-14 plus 25-30 g Ammonium Ring (20 cm from
packing shed. after planting Sulfate (21-0-0) the plants)
Postharvest Handling 4-6 months 100-120 g 21-0-0 plus 100-120 g Muriate of Ring (20 cm from
Dehand the bunch with dehanding tools leaving as much crown as after planting Potash (0-0-60) the plants)
possible in the hand and avoid bruising the fruits.
Dip dehanded fruits in a washing/delatexing tank containing water 7-9 months
after planting
200 g 46-0-0 plus 300 g 0-0-60 Ring (40 cm from
the plants)
and alum solution (10 g of alum per liter of water).
10 months 350 g 46-0-0 plus 350 g 0-0-60 Ring (40 cm from
and onwards the plants)
Source: Banana (Musa spp.) Production Guide, BPI-DNCRDC, 2012. (Unpublished)
Basal applica- Ring applica-
tion of Fertili- tion of Fertili-
Washing/delatexing of fruits zation zation
Water Management .Fruit/Bunch Management
1. Water the plants immediately after planting. 1. Start spraying the fruit bunch with fungicides/insecticides when1-2
2. Irrigate the plants with ready source of water during dry periods. hands appear at weekly interval up to removal of male bud.
3. Construct drainage canals if necessary. 2. Remove the male bud when the false hand appears.
3. Remove flower remnants, withered styles and perianth that persist
Weed Control at the distal end of the fingers before fruit bagging.
1. Remove weeds around the base of the mat within a radius of 60-75 4. Bag the bunch after the emergence of the last hand to protect from
cm without damaging the root system of the mother plant and the pest damage and injuries.
suckers. 5. Tie on the bunch colored strips or ribbon from the time of bagging
2. Mulch with any readily available materials such as rice straws, cut for fruit age management.
banana leaves and pseudostem, etc. on the base of the plants to 6. Put props to provide ample support on developing bunch .
minimize the growth of weeds as well as preserve soil moisture. Do
not use infected plant parts as mulch.
Sucker Management
Stem and Mat Sanitation
Spraying of bunch Deflowering Propping and bagging of
bunch
1. Select 1-2 healthy suckers 2. Remove unwanted or Pest and Disease Management
to be maintained 3 months developing suckers at 3
after planting. weeks interval.
interval.
Common Pests and Control Management
Diseases
Diseases
1. Remove old, diseased leaves and bracts. Banana Bunchy Top Use disease-free planting materials.
2. Deleaf when more than 50% of the leaf blade is not functional and Virus(BBTV), Bana- Immediately eradicate plants infected
maintain at least 10-12 functional leaves until flowering. na Bract Mosaic Virus with BBTV, Fusarium wilt and Moko.
3. Place cut leaves along the base of the plants to serve as mulches and (BBrMV), Sigatoka,
fertilizer when decomposed. Fusarium Wilt and Use Trichoderma harzianum as biological
Moko control against Fusarium wilt.
Cut Sigatoka infected leaves when 50%
of the leaf area is infected.
Avoid planting of intercrops that could be
alternate hosts for aphids that are carrier
of virus diseases.
Maintain proper sanitation.
Monitor and inspect regularly for disease
occurrence.
Cut leaves placed in between
De-leafing rows of banana mats.
