Banana

Botanical name             :        Musa acuminate

                                                 Musa balbisiyana

Family                           ;          Musaceae

Banana Varieties

·        Dessert type

·        Nethrappalm                      Anamalu

·        Sudu Kochchi                    Wasnwadel

·        Cavendish                          Kithala

·        Rathnawala                        Rata Loradawalu

·        Kochchi Kesel                    Uda Kommbu

·        Rath Kesel                          Bin Kesel

·        Ambum                              Kandula

·        Sini Kesel                                     Kolikuttu

·        Ambul                                Marthamalu

·        Wilium Lybreed                           Puwalu

·        Suwadal                                       Muwanethi Kesel

                                                          Atikesel

·        As a cooking type

v Prasad  - 1

v Prasad – 2

v Alumondam

v Diyamondam

v Pulathisi

v Atamaru

Characteristics of some popular Banana Varieties

1)    Pulathisi

The pseudo scam is rounded and green the pundcles is dark green and asymmetric shape. Upper surface of leaf is dark green very few waxy and lower surfaces are medium yellow in colour. Petiole margin is pink. There are small blotches on petiole base both sides of leaf blade base are rounded.

2)    Prasad

The pseudo stem is normal, medium green and 2.4 – 2.5 heights. Upper surface of leaf is medium green colour, moderately waxy and lower surface is medium yellow colour petiole base. Both sides of leaf blade base are rounded. Peduncle is lighe green and cylindrical shape.

3)    Seni Kesel

The psendostem is rounded with green yellow. The peduncle is light green and cylindrical shape. Petiole margin is green. There are small blotches on petiole base. Both side of leaf blade base are rounded. Both sides of leaf are green yellow.

4)    Ambul

The psendoscem is rounded green red and 3-5-4 in height. Petiole margin colour is red. There are sparse blotches on petiole base, one side of leaf blade base is rounded and other side is pointed peduncle is light green and cone shape. Both sided of leaf are dark green and upper surface moderately waxy.

5)    Methrappalam

The psedostem is normal with green red. The peduncle is lighe green and Asymmetric shape. Petiole margin is red. There are small blotches on petiole base. Both side of the leaf blade base is pointed. Both sides of leaf are green yellow.

Soil and climate  

Well drainage, deep loams soils are preferred. PH range between 4.5 – 7.5. Optimum temperature is 27 ˚c. Rainfall is need and full sunlight is regained for base growl. 

Plane General Description

1.     Leaf habit -:

Erect

Intermediate

Dropping

Other (Eg – very dropping)

2.     Member of suckers -:

Record the number of suckers from soil level to point of emerging (> 30 cm height) Recorded only if no desuchering has taken.

3.     Development of suckers -:

In relation to parent plant observed on the tallest sucker time.

·        Taller than parent plant

·        More than ¾ of the height of the parent plant.

·        Between ¼ and ¾

4.     Leaf blade length (cm)

Measured at its maximum point.

·        < 170 cm

·        171 to 220 cm

·        221 to 26 cm

·        ≥ 261 cm

5.     Leaf blade width (cm)

Measured at its maximum point

·        ≤ 70 cm

·        71 to 80 cm

6.     Psendostem height (m)

Recorded from the base of pseudostem   to emerging point peduncle.

·        1 ≤ 2

·        2.2 to 2.9

·        3≥3

      

. 7.  Pseudo stem aspect

Determined by the circumference at 100 cm

·  Slender

·  Normal

·  Rebase

7.     Appearance of leaf lower surface

·  Dull

·  Shiny

8.     Wing type

·  Dry

·  Moe Dry

9.     Bared shape

·  Cylindrical

·  Truncated cone shape

·  Asymmetric – Bunch airs is nearly straight

·  With a curve in the bunch airs

·  Spiral

  10.   Pollen sac colour

      

Recorded at the line where the anther splits to release pollen

·  White

·  Brown / rusty brown

·  pints / pink – purple

·  Red – purple

·  other

Spacing –

	Between rows (m)	Within row (m)
Ambul Kesel	3	1
Kolikutte	2 ½	1
Alu kesel	2 ½	1
Ambun	3	1 ½
Anamalu	3	1 ½

Propagation

Banana is propagated by suckers or corms.

Planting  

Plough the land during the dry season and plant at the beginning of the rainy season. make holes 60 cm deep and 60 cm wide compost mix with top soil.

Fertilizer recommendation

	Urea (Kg)	Super phosphate (Kg)	Muriate of potash (Kg)	Total	For a plant (g)
Basal application	6	15	29	50	10
Top dressing (at 2 month after planting)	9	6	35	50	10 ½
(at 4 month after planting)	18	-	32	50	20
(at 8 – 8 ½ month after planting)	18	-	32	50	-

Common diseases of Banana

·        Leaf spots (fungus)

·        Leaf speckle (fungus)

·        Bunchy top (virus)

·        Panama disease (fungus)

·        Anthracnose black end and crown rots  (fungus)

·        Black sigatokal  (fungus)

Panama disease

·         The fungus fusarium

Oxysporum F.S.P cubence

Symptoms

Firstly shows as a marginal yellowing of the older leaves which later turn brown and dry out. They event dually collapse a some point along the leaf stalk or the  psendostem leaving astride of dead leaves draped a rounded the plant death of the parent psendostem generally  follows but snskers fo not necessarily die.

Panama disease  

Anthracnose black end and crown rot.

Control measures

·        Use Diseased free planting materials

·        Araid poorly – drained soils

·        Do not plane susceptible cultivars in land where the sides has occurred.