Propagating quality planting material to improve plant health and crop performance: key practices for dessert banana, plantain and cooking banana

Method: Suckers reproduced in sucker multiplication plot

In false decapitation, a stake inserted into the pseudostem at 50 cm from the corn impedes flowering. Bending of the pseudostem at 1.50 m high can also impedes flowering and stimulates the sprouting of suckers.

Decapitation and false decapitation stimulate the emergence of 10-20 suckers per stem.

Suckers should be extracted when they get to a proper size to make room for the smaller sprouts.

The sucker multiplication plot is established with good quality, pest and disease free suckers planted at a high density on deep well drained soils, rich in organic matter.

When plants initiate flowering, they are decapitated to stop further flower or bunch development and stimulate sprouting of abundant suckers.

Select suckers only from fields free of bacterial or fungal wilts and with a minimal presence of nematodes and weevils. Mark plants with big bunches, healthy, abundant suckers, stout trunk and firm rooting.

Propagating quality planting material to improve plant health and crop performance: key practices for dessert banana, plantain and cooking banana

DO NOTs in the production of suckers in multiplication plot

with discoloration, or for which ooze are found in the stem section

Method: Suckers reproduced in sucker multiplication plot

DO NOT plant corms

too small with nematodes or weevils root shaved or only partially pared