Evolution, Description and Importance of Banana

1. Evolution, Description and Importance of Banana End Next

2. INTRODUCTION BANANA - Adam’s FIG / Tree of wisdom / Kalpataru / Apple of paradise. • Modern bananas and plantains originated in the South East Asian and Western pacific regions where their inedible, seed-bearing, diploid ancestors can still be found in the natural forest vegetation. • Over many years, various inedible diploid subspecies of Musa acuminataColla crossed naturally resulting in the production of numerous intraspecific hybrids Previous Next End

3. Some of these hybrids were parthenocarpic, female sterile and triploid in genomic structure, and local inhabitants discovered that such plants had edible fruits and could be propagated be vegetatively by suckers. • In this manner, the superior edible crosses of Musa acuminatewould have been selected, cultivated, propagated and distributed locally as a food crop. • The edible triploid banana in Southeast Asia were further selected according to vigour, fruit size and adaptability, and were inferior. End Previous Next

4. However, in certain areas various edible diploids of Musa acuminata were also preserved over the years. • Diploid and triploid selections of Musa acuminata were taken by man to drier mansoon areas where another wild and seeded diploid, Musabalbisiana, was growing naturally. • In these areas, interspecific hybridization occurred to produce diploid and triploid crosses of Musa acuminata x Musabalbisiana. Previous Next End

5. The introduction of Musabalbisiana genes from the drier monsoon regions into Musa acuminata clones from the humid tropics of Southeast Asia conferred a measure of hardiness and drought tolerance into hybrids. • In addition the Musabalbisiana genes, induced greater disease resistance, improved nutritional value, increased starchiness and provided hybrids suitable for cooking, as opposed to the pure Musa acuminata cultivars which are sweeter and more suited to dessert use. Previous End Next

6. DISTRIBUTION OF BANANA • Historical references to banana and plantain are many and varied. The earliest written reference to banana is in Sanskrit and dates back to around 500 BC. • Edible bananas originated in the Indo-Malaysian region reaching to northern Australia. They were known only by hearsay in the Mediterranean region in the 3rd Century B.C., and are believed to have been first carried to Europe in the 10th Century A.D. • Early in the 16th Century, Portuguese mariners transported the plant from the West African coast to South America. • The types found in cultivation in the Pacific have been traced to eastern Indonesia from where they spread to the Marquesas and by stages to Hawaii. Previous Next End

7. DESCRIPTION OF BANANA Next Previous End

8. It is a giant herbaceous plant with an apparent trunk that bends without breaking • The banana has an underground stem with adventitious roots. It is full of food for the plant. Alongside the main stem, it has other stems called suckers. These stems grow into banana plants. The banana plant produces its fruit and dies. Another sucker replaces it. The banana plant has large leaves closely rolled up one over the other. Together they look like a trunk, but they form only an apparent trunk. CONT. Next Previous End

9. Inside it there is a bud which produces leaves. After 7 or 8 months, when some 30 leaves have grown, the bud produces flowers • The flowers of the banana plant form a large spike It turns downward, to the soil and opens. It bears male and female flowers. • The female flowers pressed closely together in the shape of hands Previous End Next

10. A red bud at the end of the spike containing the male flowers; the male flowers die quickly and the bud slowly becomes smaller Next Previous End

11. The banana plant yields fruits. • These fruits are long in shape, with yellow or green skin. • The spike produces many bananas. • The bananas on one spike are called a bunch. • On this bunch, the bananas are clustered in several hands. • The flesh of a banana is light in colour, sweet and soft. In the middle of the fruit you can see little black specks; these are the seeds, but they will not germinate Next Previous End

12. IMPORTANCE • Bananas and plantain are very important fruit crops in the tropical world. • They are grown largely by small holders and play a major role in food security and income generation for millions of the region’s rural poor worldwide. • In terms of gross value of production, banana is the developing world’s fourth most important food crop after rice, wheat and maize and as a fruit, it ranks first. Next Previous End

13. More than 100 million tonnes of bananas are produced every year in 120 countries in over 10 million hectares. • Only about 13 per cent of the world’s banana production is exported and 87 per cent is consumed where they are produced, indicating, that banana plays a vital role as source of food and income in developing countries. • Production statistics in 2004 show that banana is an important crop in the three major regions namely Asia, Latin America and Africa. Previous End Next

14. World’s Top 10 Banana Producers (2004) Previous End Next

15. India topped the list with 16.55 metric tonnes whereas the Philippines with a total production of 5.41 metric tonnes came in 6th after Uganda, Brazil, Ecuador and China. • India with the production of 16 million tonnes of bananas annually, provides livelihood security to millions of people in production, trade and processing. • The fruit contributes more than 2.8% to GDP of agriculture in India and 31% of the total food production. • However the efficiency of banana supply chain in the country is not even a patch on the Indian manufacturing supply chain, resulting into high wastages (30%), high retail to farm gate ratio (1.8) and high mark up percentage i.e. prices paid by the consumers (300%) – one of the highest in the world. Previous End Next

16. Banana-area and production in India Previous End Next

17. Banana are cultivated commercially under tropical and sub-tropical conditions in all the states of India except in those having extreme winters such as Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. • In Tamil Nadu bananas are cultivated in about 88,100 ha and the total production is estimated at 44,06,000 tonnes. The productivity is very high in Maharashtra (58.58 t/ha) followed by Tamil Nadu (50 t/ha). • Though, India is the leader in banana production, Indian export of fresh banana is meager and it was only 280 metric tonnes during the year 1998. End Next Previous

18. NUTRITIONAL VALUE • Banana is an important source of energy and the cheapest source of nutrients for the bulk of our population. • In terms of nutritional value, the fruits are rich in carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. • It provides more balanced food than many other fruit crops. • In terms of energy, bananas are even better compared to potatoes. • Bananas and plantains are recognized as the fourth most important global food commodity after rice, wheat and milk. Next Previous End

19. Nutrient composition of banana Previous End Next

20. The fruit pulp of banana has rich and easily digestible carbohydrates apart from many vitamins like riboflavin, niacin and ascorbic acid and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and has several medicinal properties. • It is hence considered as fruit for all ages of people from infants to aged. • In certain parts of India, banana powder is used as baby food. • It has several medicinal virtues too. Previous End Next

21. The fruits, florets and pseudostem are also used for consumption after cooking. • Its leaves are commonly used for serving food in homes, many hotels and restaurants. • Bananas can be also processed to purees, powder, flour, chips, jam, jelly, wine, etc. attractive handicraft items like mats, carry bags, etc. can be also made from the banana fibre. • Besides, the fibres can be also used for making paper pulp. Previous End Next