BANANA PRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION
 Banana is the fourth most important food crop (after
rice, wheat and maize) in the developing world.
 Around 87% of all the banana grown worldwide is
produced by small-scale farmers for home consumption
or for sale in local and regional markets.
 The crop is a major staple food, particularly in Africa.
 It provides a cheap and easily produced source of
energy.
 It is also rich in certain minerals (Potassium, phosphorus,
calcium and iron) and in vitamins (A, C and B6).
 Introduction
 It is used fresh; cooked or ripe as a fruit (dessert/snack)
and for culinary purposes.
 Various products: puree, powder, flour, chips, vinegar,
jam, jelly and wine can be prepared.
 Banana powder is used as the first baby food.
 The leaves are used as biological plates, umbrella, etc.
 It is increasingly an important source of revenue,
sometimes providing the main source of income for rural
communities.
 It thus play an important role in poverty alleviation.
 ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION
 Banana is native to the South-east Asia region.
 Almost all banana cultivation falls within 30o latitude
N and S’
 However the major production areas are those situated
between 20o of latitude N and S.
 Origin and Distribution
 It is ranked as the third most important fruit in the world.
 Production is estimated at 107 M ton in 2013, with Asian
region producing about 60%.
 Origin and Distribution …

 85% of the production is consumed locally, while the

remaining 15% is exported.
 Ecuador is the largest exporter, while the USA is the leading
importer of banana.
 Origin and Distribution …
 In Africa, Tanzania is the second largest producer of
banana after Uganda and ranks the 10th in the world.
 In East Africa, production is estimated at 2.7 million
tons.
 In Tanzania, besides being an important fruit, banana is a
major staple food for 15 – 20% of the population.
 It is particularly important in the high rainfall areas of
the Kagera, Kigoma, Arusha, Kilimanjaro Mbeya,
Morogoro regions and Zanzibar.
 Botanical Description
Classification and Nomenclature
 Banana belongs to the Family - Musaceae and the genus
Musa.
 The genus Musa is subdivided into 5 major sections:
Ingentimusa, Autralimusa, Eumusa, Callimusa and
Rhodochlamys.
 The section Eumusa which is the largest and most
widely distributed.
 It constitutes the origin of the ancestors of the edible
cultivated banana: Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana.
 Botanical Description
Classification and Nomenclature
 The crop arose from natural hybridization between the
two ancestors; M. acuminata and M. balbisiana.
 Hybridization and selection, followed by maintenance
through vegetative propagation by man have led to
occurrence of a multitude of varieties/cultivars.
 Consequently, there are no real species in the botanical
sense.
 The edible cultivated plants in the genus are therefore
groups of varieties or cultivars rather than species.
 Thus the binomial name for banana is Musa spp.
Botanical Description
 Botanical Description
Classification and Nomenclature
 A method for identifying groups, subgroups and varieties
or cultivars is based on scoring for 15 phenotypic
characters of the vegetative and reproductive parts.
 The system is known as the taxonomic scoring or
morpho-taxonomic identification.
 The scoring provides for a range of total scores from 15,
i.e., 15 x 1, for Musa acuminata to 75, i.e., 15 x 5 for
Musa balbisiana.
Classification and Nomenclature
Character Musa acuminata Musa balbisiana

1.
Pseudostem
colour More or less Blotches very
heavily marked with slight or absent
brown or black blotches

2. Petiole
canal
Margin erect or Margin inclosed,
spreading, with scarious not winged but clasping
wings below, not clasping pseudostem
pseudostem

3. Peduncle

Usually downy or Glabrous

hairy

4. Pedicels

Short Long

5. Ovules

Two regular rows Four irregular

in each loculus rows in each loculus
 10. Bract

Classification and Nomenclature

colour
Re
yellow out
purple or

*x/y
 Classification and Nomenclature
11. Colour
fading
Inside bract colour Inside bract colour
usually fades to yellow usually continuous to base
towards the base

12. Bract
scars
Prominent Scarcely prominent

13. Free
tepal of
male Variably corrugated Rarely corrugated
flower below tip

14. Male
flower
colour Creamy white Variably flushed
with pink

15. Stigma
colour
Orange or rich yellow Cream, pale yellow
or pale pink
 Examples of Banana Cv grown in Morogoro
CULTIVARS
GROUP SUB-GROUP USES
REFERENCE
(Scores) COMMON NAME
NAME
AA Pisang Lilin Mshale Mshale(re) Cooking, Rosting,
(Sucrier/Figue/Rose) Dessert
(15 – 24) Mhalihali Kitwange
AAA Cavendish Kimalindi (fupi/ndefu/ Dwarf/Giant Dessert
(15 – 24) Kiguruwe) Cavendish
Mtwike Grand nain
Paz Paz

Lujugira/Mutika Matoke - Dessert, Cooking,

Roasting
Uganda
Bukoba
Kitombo
Luholole/ Mwanamke
Nyelele/Ndosa

Gros Michel Jamaica Gros Michel Dessert, Cooking

Examples of Banana Cv grown in Morogoro ….
Green/Red Mzungu Green / Red Dessert Cooking

Mwekundu/
Mweupe/Williams/
Musoma
- Embwailuma - Cooking

AB Ney Poovan Kisukari Kanana Dessert

(45 -54)
AAB Silk Kisukari Silk (& Spots of Silk) Dessert
(25 54)
Plantain Mzuzu (ndefu / kati / Giant and Medium Cooking Roasting
fupi/ kilundila French plantain
Mkono wa Tembo True & False Horn Cooking Roasting
Plantain
Pome
Kijakazi (Zanzibar) Pome

ABB Bluggoe Bokoboko Bluggoe or Silver Cooking Dessert

Roasting
(55 – 64) bluggoe
Monthan Jenga Ua/Maua) Monthan & Spots Cooking Dessert
Roasting
Awak Unyoya Pisang awak Brewing, Cooking,
Rosting
 Plant Characteristics
General Morphology of the Banana plant
 Banana is a monocotyledonous monocarpic prennial herb
measuring 4 to 7 m in height.
 It is monocarpic because after harvest the aerial part that
produced a bunch dies.
 It is herbaceous as there are no woody components.
 It is perennial because new suckers grow up from the
base of the mother plant to replace aerial parts which
have died.
 The stem is a thick underground structure called
Rhizome or Corm.
 Plant Characteristics …
 The basal part of the rhizome produces many
adventitious roots which spreads in all directions
over a radius of 2.5 - 3 m.
 In good soils, the roots penetrate to a depth of up
to 80 cm.
 The above ground part of the rhizome produces
leaves, which form the aerial part of the plant.
 The first leaves are essentially simple scales or
sheaths which partially overlap forming the lower
external part of the pseudostem (false stem).
 Plant characteristics…
 The leaf sheaths elongate progressively,
increasing the height of the pseudostem.
 The leaves stand in a spiral and new ones
arise from the rhizome.
 The banana rhizome which is tuberous, does not
have extended horizontal growth like most
rhizomes, but suckers grow successively outwards.
Plant Characteristics
 ECOLOGY
Altitude
 Since banana is a typical tropical plant it requires warm
conditions.
 It is therefore grown from sea level up to a maximum of
2000 m of attitude in East and Central Africa.

Soils
 Banana roots are often considered to be weak or fragile.
They do not tolerate stagnant water. It is essential
therefore that the roots and corms, be capable of
developing in good conditions.
 Ecology
Soil …
 The most favourable soils are therefore those of the
following physical characteristics:
 Rich in humus
 Free from gravels/stones
 Good drainage and aeration in which the water table do
not rise to at least 80 cm below the surface
 The most favourable Soil pH is that in the range of 5.5 –
6.5.
 Ecology …
Rainfall
 Banana cultivation is considered possible in areas which
receive at least 1500 mm of rain per year.
 The Ideal rainfall amounts for banana is between 2000
to 3000 mm / years, well distributed over the year.
 The existence of a dry season should be as short as
possible.
 In low rainfall areas irrigation is necessary.
 In such areas drought- tolerant clones of the AAB and
ABB group are the most appropriate.
 Ecology …
Temperature
 Where water is not limiting, the rate of growth and time
for fruits maturity is determined by temperature.
 The optimum for foliar growth is 25-28 oC, while for
fruit growth it is slightly higher at 29 – 30 0C.
 Below 25 0C, growth rate decreases and eventually leaf
emission stops at 16 0C (for Cvs Cavendish).
 Growth in general stops completely at 10 0C. At below
12 0C, fruits are usually damaged through chilling.
 Ecology …
Radiation
 Excessive light deficit will influence the length of plant
organs by increasing them.
 Nevertheless, it is considered that in the normal
growing regions light has little influence on plant
development and productivity.
 That is why it is usually intercropped with crops such as
coconut.
 The only observed effect is that fruits maturity can be
delayed under very limited light conditions.
 Ecology
Wind
 Tall varieties are most susceptible to wind. Wind breaks
may be needed in areas experiencing strong wind to
avoid damages, which include:
 leaf shredding
 Blowing plants down
 CULTURAL PRACTICES
Propagation
 Propagation is vegetative by use of suckers,
Rhizomes/corms and in vitro plants.
 Suckers are formed from the vegetative buds set on
the rhizome during leaf formation.
 There are four types of banana suckers, namely;
i. Sword sucker
ii. Water sucker
iii. Maiden sucker and
iv. Peeper sucker
 Propagation ...
➢Sword suckers have narrow leaves and a
broad rhizome base
➢Water suckers have broad leaves and a
narrow rhizome base.
 Propagation …
 Peepers are the very young suckers with scale
leaves.

 Maiden suckers are the large

but none fruiting suckers.
➢These have already separated
from the mother plant,
 Propagation
 The rhizomes of non-flowering plants are used. New
plants develop from lateral buds.
 In vitro plants are produced in tissue culture
laboratories by meristem culture.
 Each category of planting materials are used separately.
 Within each category planting materials are grouped
according to size.
➢The purpose is to have uniform plant growth in the
field.
 Crop Establishment
Planting density
 The general tendency is towards closer spacing.
 Planting density range from 480 – 2500 plants/ha.
➢ In simple/single row spacing vary from 1.55 x 3.2 m
(2016 plants/ha) to 3.6 x 4.5 m (480 plants/ha).
➢In staggered double rows a spacing of 2 x 2 x 3 (2000
plants/ha) is used.
➢In square double rows the spacing is 1.5 - 2 x 2.5 - 3.0 m
(2500 plants/ha.
 Tall varieties require wider spacing compared to shorter
ones.
 Field Management
 Weeding
Weeding should be controlled until the plant is big
enough to shade the ground.

 Fertilization
➢ In order to maintain good yield year after year, it is
important to restore soil nutrients extracted by the
harvested bunches and the nutrient losses due to
leaching.
➢Exact amounts are determined through soil analysis.
Adequate levels are 2.9% N, 0.20% P and 3.3% K.
 Fertilizers are spread around the plants and buried.
 Field Management
 Irrigation
Water requirements for banana are approximately 125
mm/month in areas with humid atmosphere and 180 –
220 mm/month in dry windy areas.

 Sucker Management
Has two main components:
(i) Desuckering
➢ the practices of destroying/removing unwanted
suckers which develop from the rhizomes.
 Field Management…
Sucker Management
(ii) Ratoon sucker selection
➢ choosing the correct follower sucker to
perpetuate the ratoon plantation most effectively.
➢ The goal is maintain a mother, one daughter and
one grand daughter.

• Earthing-up
Drawing soil toward the base of stools to protect
plants from falling over due to wind.
 Field Management
• Bunch Management
Involves:
➢ Bunch propping – Supporting/Staking with props;
➢ Removal of male bud – Cutting off the bud
➢Bunch covering/bagging – Blue polyethelene bags
are preferred;
➢Dehanding – Removal of the last – false hand
➢Deflowering – Removal of withered perianth
Bunch Bagging and Propping
 PESTS
 Banana weevil (Cosmopolites sordidus)
- Larvae feed by tunneling the corm up to the pseudostem.
 Nematodes (Platylenchus goodeyi & Radopholus similis)
- Cause root rot as the direct damage.
 Panama disease or banana wilt (Fusarium oxysporum fs
cubense) - Cause stem (rhizome and pseudostem) rot.
 Leaf spot /Sigatoka (Mycosphaerella musicola)
- Cause premature death of large patches of the leaves
 Banana Xanthomonas wilt (Xanthomonas campestris pv
musacearum) – causes death of the plant and rotting of the
fruit.
Pests …
Banana Weevil
 Pests
 Nematode
 Pests
 Panama Disease
 Pests
 Sigatoka
Pests …
BXW Disease
 HARVESTING
 From planting to harvest takes 9 – 18 months
 From bloom to harvest is 80 – 120 days
 Harvesting at 3 stages:
➢ ¾ Full – Fingers are still angular
➢ Full – Fully rounded fingers
➢ Ripe
 Harvesting is by cutting the bunch at the level of the
peduncle with a knife or machete.
 Yield: Ranges from 12 to 34 tons/ha/year