Growth Parameters of Yield of Plantain (Musa cv. AAB)

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The performance of the crop plant and the ‘ratoon’ plant (lateral shoot succeeding the harvested main shoot) of 65 medium-sized False Horn plantains (Musa cv. AAB) was studied by measuring vegetative and inflorescence (bunch) parameters. From significant regressions between different parameters it appears that taller pseudostems produce leaves at a faster rate, flower earlier and produce heavier infructescences which need more time to mature. A high yield is determined by vigorous initial growth of the planted sucker (lateral root). Before flowering, there is no sink competition between ratoon and main pseudostem growth, and fast-growing main pseudostems are accompanied by fast-growing ratoons. After flowering, competition occurs between the fructifying inflorescence, a preferential sink and the ratoon. The results indicate that plantain should not be considered as an annual crop.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: