RESEARCH FOCUS ON BANANA AND PLANTAIN (MUSA SPP.): NIGERIAN PERSPECTIVES

The contribution of banana and plantain (Musa spp.) to our food requirements requires the identification of the research priority areas in the improvement and sustainability of these crops. Multidisciplinary research of Musa scientists and documentation of the results are highly acknowledged, as they create the means to identify production problem areas and offer solutions to the challenges that threaten fruit quality production. An analysis of Musa publications in Nigeria was undertaken to assess the most widely favored areas of research. It was observed from the analysis that scientists’ choice of research focus on Musa needs to be demand-driven, especially in the areas of crop protection and breeding, to contribute positively to the improvement of the crop.