Bananas and Plantains

Family: Musaceae

Genus: Musa

Species:

• M. acuminata

• M. balbisiana

Genus Musa

Section Eumusa

Major species of economic importance

• Musa acuminata (A genome)

• Musa balbisiana (B genome)

Ploidy levels of commercial bananas

• Diploid, AA and BB

• Triploid, AAA, AAB, ABB

• Tetraploid, AAAA, AABB, ABBB

Major evolutionary events

• Probably millennia ago

Types of Bananas

Banana

• Desert banana, fresh consumption

• AAA

Plantain

• Cooking, Meal, Vegetable banana

• Plátano, banano macho

• AAB or ABB

Banana Origin and Domestication

Adaptation: Hot Humid Tropics

Temperature

• Frost free

• Mean temperature of 27 C (80 F)

• Minimum winter temp of 15.5 C (60 F)

Moisture

• Rain, 100 mm (4.0”) per month

Soil

• Good drainage is needed

• Slightly acid, pH 5.5 to 6.5

Banana Cultivation and Climate

Most Banana/Plantain Production within Region with Winter Temperate Greater than 15.5 C (60 F) and Rainfall greater than 1,270 mm (50”)

Banana Cultivation and Climate

Bananas Grown for Local Consumption

Banana Cultivation and Climate

Bananas Grown for Export = T

Weather Problems

Wind

• 15-20 mph – leaf damage, twisting, breakage

• 40 mph – considerable damage

• 60 mph – complete destruction

Why

• Pseudostem not as strong as woody stem

• Large leaves that catch wind

• Shallow root system

World Production

Production

• Bananas, 72 million MT (56% Asia)

• Plantains, 25 million MT (89% Africa)

• Staple food for 70 million Africans

• 90% grown on small farms and consumed locally

• 10% exported from plantations

• Latin America and Caribbean region

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