Banana

Musa spp.

1. Identification and origin

Banana plants belong to the genus Musa., Musaceae family, which includes species producing dessert bananas and cooking bananas. The main wild species that gave rise to the cultivated varieties are Musa acuminata Colla and Musa balbisiana Colla. Domestication occurred in Southeast Asia about 7,000 years ago, with subsequent dispersal to tropical Asia, the Pacific, East Africa and, later, tropical America.

2. Economic importance

The banana is one of the most consumed fruits in the world and one of the tropical crops of greatest economic value. It is fundamental for food security in many tropical countries and constitutes an important export crop (especially cultivars of the Cavendish group). In mainland Portugal there is no significant commercial production, but the banana is relevant in Madeira, where mainly cultivars of the AAB group are grown.

3. Botanical characterisation

Banana plants are giant herbaceous plants, with a pseudostem formed by the overlapping of the leaf sheaths. The true stem is an underground rhizome. The leaves are large, spiralled, and can reach several metres in length. The inflorescence emerges from the pseudostem and presents female flowers in the upper part and male flowers at the distal end. The fruit is a berry, generally parthenocarpic in commercial cultivars. The genomic groups (AA, AAA, AAB, ABB and their variations) reflect the genetic proportion of M. acuminata and M. balbisiana.

4. Soil and climate requirements

Banana plants require a humid tropical or subtropical climate, with ideal temperatures between 26–30 °C. They are sensitive to cold and strong wind. They require high water availability and deep, well-drained soils, rich in organic matter and with a pH between 5.5 and 7.0. Water stress significantly reduces the development of the pseudostem and the size of the fruits.

5. Main pests

• Banana weevil (Cosmopolites sordidus): perforation of the rhizome and reduction of vigour.
• Nematodes (Radopholus similis, Pratylenchus spp.): root damage and falling of plants.
• Thrips (Thrips spp.): spots and scars on the fruits.
• Mites (Tetranychidae): discolouration and reduction of the photosynthetic area.
• Fruit fly (Tephritidae): damage to ripe fruits in non-commercial systems.

6. Main diseases

• Panama disease (wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense): one of the most destructive diseases, with emphasis on the TR4 strain.
• Black Sigatoka (Pseudocercospora fijiensis): severe leaf necrosis and loss of productivity.
• Yellow Sigatoka (Pseudocercospora musae): common in humid climates.
• Moko (Ralstonia solanacearum): bacterial wilt.
• Banana mosaic virus (Banana bunchy top virus): leaf deformations and dwarfism.

7. General crop management

Management includes selection of cultivars adapted to the local climate, use of certified vegetative material, rigorous control of soil pests, balanced fertilisation and regular irrigation. Sanitary defoliation reduces the pressure of Sigatoka. Staking may be necessary in plants with heavy bunches. Harvesting is carried out when the fruits reach the physiological ripening stage appropriate for the commercial destination.

Bibliographic references

• EPPO Global Database – Musa spp..
• CABI – Crop Compendium – Musa spp..
• FAO (2023). FAOSTAT – Banana and Plantain Production Statistics. FAO.
• D’Hont, A. et al. (2012). The banana (Musa acuminata) genome and the evolution of monocotyledonous plants. Nature, 488, 213–217.
• Brown, A. et al. (2017). Bananas and Plantains (Musa spp.). In: Genetic Improvement of Tropical Crops. Springer.