SURVIVAL AND YIELD OF THE PLANTAIN 'EBANG' (MUSA SPP., AAB GENOME, 'FALSE HORN') PRODUCED FROM CORM FRAGMENT INITIATED PLANTS AND SUCKERS AFTER HOT WATER TREATMENT IN SOUTHERN CAMEROON

C. Mekoa, S. Hauser
Plantain (Musa spp.) is the most important food cash crop in Southern Cameroon. Farmers suffer severe income losses through yield losses due to pest and disease infestation of suckers planted without any measure taken to remove pests and diseases. This paper reports on the first trial conducted under farmers’ condition on the performance of hot water treated suckers versus plants produced from corm fragments (CFP). Both techniques serve the purpose of planting pest (mainly nematode) and disease free propagules. Plantains were monitored for 50 months after planting. Preflowering losses, mainly to death for unidentified reasons were highest in CFP material. Uprooting and pseudostem break were not different between CFP material and hot water and untreated suckers. Mean bunch mass was highest in CFP material. Due to the high plant losses of CFP material, bunch yield of the plant crop was lower than when conventional suckers were hot water treated. CFP material yield did not differ from that of traditionally prepared suckers. Root number and root health in CFP plants were better than in both sucker treatments. None of these advantages was carried over to the first ratoon crop. CFP plants have a high potential to increase yields yet the weakness of high plant losses in the juvenile phase needs to be overcome to make the technique adoptable.
Mekoa, C. and Hauser, S. (2010). SURVIVAL AND YIELD OF THE PLANTAIN 'EBANG' (MUSA SPP., AAB GENOME, 'FALSE HORN') PRODUCED FROM CORM FRAGMENT INITIATED PLANTS AND SUCKERS AFTER HOT WATER TREATMENT IN SOUTHERN CAMEROON. Acta Hortic. 879, 527-535
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.879.57
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.879.57
plant losses, plantain propagation technique, root health
English

Acta Horticulturae