This document summarizes information about the banana plant family (Musaceae). It notes that bananas are grown for their fruit and fibers and are found in tropical lowlands. The family has two genera, Musa and Ensete, with Musa being the largest genus. Bananas are a staple food in many tropical countries. The plant is described as a giant herb with large leaves and a pseudostem formed from leaf sheaths. Flowers are irregular and unisexual, producing berries with many seeds. Cavendish is currently the dominant banana variety for export. Bananas require warm temperatures and high rainfall to grow.

2. This is a small family of only abouT 40
species in Two genera (musa and
enseTe) found in weT Tropical
lowlands, alThough recenTly one or
Two species have been found in higher
laTiTudes. They are grown mainly for
Their fruiT, The banana, and for Their
fibres, manila and hemp, used for
making rope. They are also grown as
ornamenTal planTs

3. Taxonomy
Genus
Chrom
no. Section Distribution
No.
species Uses
Ensete 9 W. Africa,
New
Guinea
7–8 Fibers, vegetation
(soft portions of
stem)
Musa 10 Australimusa Australia to
Philippines
5–6 Fiber (Abacá)
10 Callimusa Indochina,
Indonesia
5–6 Ornamentals
11 Eumusa S. Indian,
Japan,
Samoa
9–10 Fruit, fiber, veg
11 Rhodochlamys India,
Indonesia
5–6 Ornamentals

4. family: musaceae
genus: musa
species:
m. acuminaTa
m. balbisiana
The plant is a gigantic herb.
Banana is a basic staple in tropical
countries and was consumed before
recorded history in Southeast Asia.
There are basically two kinds:
banana (consumed mostly as fresh fruit)
plantain (cooking banana)

5. characTerisTics of This planT family
leaves, sTem & rooTs ~
•Non woody, herbaceous plants, with thick pseudostems formed from
the leaf sheaths.
•Leaves are very large, sheathing the stem, and arranged spirally with a
thick oval midrib, veins running from the midrib to the leaf margin. The
leaves are initially entire, but torn by the wind.
•The genus Musa produces new perennial plants from rhizomatous
roots, while in the genus Ensete are unbranched and monocarpic.

6. planT sTrucTure
monocoT
• perennial herb
– All leaves/inflorescence
origin from under ground
corm
• Spreads via rhizomes
• Plants “walk”
– Largest plant without
woody trunk
• Pseudostem
– Fruits once
Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M
University

8.  flowers ~
• The flowers are bracteate and terminal, produced
from the growing points of the basal corms.
• They are irregular and unisexual, the female flowers
are in clusters ('hands'), while the male flowers are
on the end of the flower spike. There are two whorls
of three petal-like segments, and five stamens.
 Pollination is often by bats or lizards
 Three types of flowers on inflorescence
• Female flowers - develop into fruit
• Hermaphroditic flowers
• Male flowers
Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M University

9. Banana flowers

10. Banana inflorescence

11. MATURING BANANA INFLORESCENCE

12. BOTANICALLy ThE BANANA IS A BERRy
ONE pISTIL
ONE OR MANy SEEd
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University
Seed Remnants
SEEDS~
•The ovary is inferior, the fruit is a fleshy berry
with many stony seeds.
•The edible Banana is a hybrid and does not
produce seeds

13. BANANA VARIETIES
• Cavendish
– Currently the leading for export
– Heavy production, cycle 11 months
– Smaller plant (2-3 m) - less wind damage
– Marginal post harvest qualities
• Does not ripen uniformly - use special
chambers
• Susceptible to bruising and discoloration
– Shipped packed in boxes
– Resistant to Panama disease
Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M
University

14. Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M
 Gros Michel (Big Mike)
University
 Leading for 100 years
 Good production, cycle 13-15 months
 Tall plants (4-8 m), wind damage
 Good post harvest qualities
 Ripened uniformly
 Resistant to bruising and discoloration
 Shipped as bunches
 Susceptible to Panama disease
 Replaced by Cavendish - resistant to Panama disease

17. Tissue Culture:
•This method of propagation is increasing to
provide disease free stock.
•The big problem is to reduce off types from
tissue-culture induced variability.
•Some variants occur with very high frequency
and careful control is need to reduce their
frequency.

18. Banana

19. Cultural Practices:
•Deep planting gives sturdier tree.
•Planting time is best carried out before wet
season to give maximum growth unless
irrigation is available.
•Dry season, however, gives less disease.
•Spring planting is the rule in the subtropics.
•Roots of banana are shallow so tillage should
be minimum.
•Use of herbicides allows clean cultivation.

20. Pruning and Staking:
•The removal of unwanted suckers is known as
pruning.
•These are cut at or below ground level.
•The critical management problem is to set up the
follow-up plant to get the desired spread in
fruiting in relation to market price or weather.
•It is undesirable to get two plants giving fruit at
the same time.
•Staking is used to prevent blowdown.
•In Taiwan government only compensates staked
field after blowdown.

21. Production
Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M
University
Fruiting Stem
1st Replacement
Daughter
2nd Replacement
Grand daughter
Fruiting Mat

22. Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M
University
January 15.5 C isotherm
June 15.5 C isotherm
1,270 mm isohyets
1,270 mm isohyets
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”)
(Figure 6.1 from Simmonds, 1966)

23. Tropical Horticulture - Texas A&M
University
 Banana plants
 Take 8-9 months to flower
 11-14 leaves
 Six leaves needed for good
production
 Bunch take 3 months to
develop
 Fruiting cycle for Dwar f
Cavendish is 11 months

24. •nutritionAL VALue
•100 gm edible pulp
•85 calories, mostly carbohydrates
•Vitamin, A, C, B1, B2, niacin
•Minerals, very high in K
•Reduce risk of high blood pressure and strokes.
•Fruit Protection
•Blue plastic bags are placed around fruit stems to
increase yield.
•Removal of withered style suggested to prevent
disease in ‘Gros Michel’ but may abscise naturally.
•Removal of male bud may lighten bunch.

25. Fruit Ripening:
•Bananas are harvested in the green stage and
ripening is controlled by temperature and
ethylene.
•Because of long distance shipment, proper
harvest time and ripening procedures is the key
factor in the commercial industry.
•Ripening bananas may be held 56 to 60°F; lower
temperatures cause chilling injury and
discoloration of the skin.
•If kept at low humidity fruit gets mealy at any
temperature.

26. Banana

27. BANANA GREENHOUSE

28. Banana

29. Banana as an intercrop