Bananas and Food Security - Bioversity International

Asie - Pacifique / Asia - Pacific : P. Sundararaju
Co-1. It is a promising Pome hybrid resultant of three way sequential crosses. It
retains the typical acid/apple flavour of Virupakshi even when grown on plains contrary
to Virupakshi which develops aroma only when grown at higher altitudes. However, its
commercial adoption has remained restricted due to small size bunch and low fruit yield.
Global hybrids/cultivars
FHIA-01 (Goldfinger AAAB). It is a Pome hybrid developed from the cross combination
of SH-3142 x Dwarf Prata in Honduras with a genomic group of AAAB. Plant acquires a
height of 2.5 to 3.0 m and bears heavy bunches (20-25 kg) without propping in 14-15
months. Fruits have sub acidic or apple flavour. It is highly resistant to black Sigatoka,
Fusarium wilt (race 1 and 4) and apparently resistant to burrowing nematode. Fruits
have a good shelf life without premature detaching. Fruits are dual purpose. FHIA-01 is
overall suited for subsistence cultivation in developing countries. It has proved its
superiority in Australia, Brazil, Cuba and has promise in many other countries. FHIA-01
evaluated under our condition has proved its superiority over Pachanadan with respect
to growth, yield and quality parameters. Its tolerance to sodicity has been a boon to
saline sodic soils of India.
Saba. Saba is an introduction from Philippines and has been evaluated for growing in
saline sodic soils. It could perform well without any yield reduction in sodic soils with pH
8.5-8.75. Quality and yield were found comparable to local Bluggoe group of varieties like
Sakkia, Kothia etc.
New technologies and innovations
Unprecedented increase in production and productivity has been observed in the past 50
years owing to the adoption of improved production technologies which include season
for planting, selection of planting material, method of planting, high density planting,
adoption of drip irrigation, nutrition and integrated management of pests, diseases and
nematodes. Improved production techniques have increased production from 1.5 in 1950
to 10.4 million tonnes. Productivity has also increased by three folds.
Age of seedlings for planting
Three-month-old suckers for Dwarf Cavendish and four-month suckers for other cultivars
are best in short and long duration crop respectively.
Planting material
Suckers should be collected from the disease free banana plantations. Selected suckers
should be trimmed and pared off all roots and superficial tissues to free the sucker from
nematodes and rhizome weevils. The pared corm should be dipped in clay slurry and
lates sprinkled Furadon granules www 40 g per corm. Otherwise the pared corm should
be dipped in solution containing 0.5% Monocrotophas and 0.2% Bavistin for 30 minutes.
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