Tropical & Subtropical Fruits

Rhizome and sucker production

• The true stem of banana is technically tuberous rhizome.Botanical description of the bananas by various authors indicate that the banana stem should be regarded as a short rhizome. The mature rhizome is about 300 mm in diameter and has extremely short internodes covered externally with closely packed leafscars. The rhizomes should remain completely below the surface of the soil for stability of the plant.
• Production of banana suckers in large quantities is currently receiving attention in the wake of great demand for elite planting material. Besides, rapid multiplication of suckers in successful hybrids will enable their quick spread in short period. Suckers production in banana is influenced by a complexity of factors. Some authors reported that, the diploids ranked first in suckers production followed by triploid and tetroploid in the order.
• Puer accuminata diploids and triploids produced larger number of suckers than the balbisiana derivatives. The nutritional status of the mother plant has an overwhelming influence on sucker production. Among the cultivars, greater uptake of nutrients by a cultivar of the same ploidy level resulted in more sucker production. for instance, Anaikomban (AA among the diploids and Monthan (ABB) among the triploids showed higher uptake of nitrogen with resultant increase in the production of suckers.