Banana and plantain (Musa spp.) growth depends on size and physiological stage of planting material

The influence of the size and physiological stage of the sucker-derived planting material on subsequent root and shoot growth of banana and plantain has not been studied in detail. The objective of this study was to evaluate associations between traits of the sucker planting material and root and shoot traits of the sucker-derived plants for different Musa spp. genotypes. Sucker-derived plants of 2 plantain landraces: 'Bobby Tannap' and 'Obino l'Ewai' and 6 plantain-derived hybrids were assessed. Twenty suckers of different size and physiological stage were planted per genotype during early July 1998 and evaluation was done at 20 weeks after planting (WAP). The results indicate that sucker-derived plant growth depends not only on the physiological stage of the sucker planting material, but also on the corm size and genotype

L'influence de la dimension et le stage physiologique des materiaux derives de souches sur les racines et l'emergence debourgeons de bananes et des plantains n'a pas ete etudiee, a ce jour, en detail. L 'objectif de cette etude etait d'evaluer l'associationentre les racines et les traits de bourgeons des materiaux issus de souches des differentes especes genetiques de Musa spp. Lesmateriaux issus de souches de deux especes des plantes Bobby Tannap et Obiro l'Ewai et six plantains hybrides derives etaientevalues. Vingt souches de dimension et de stage physiologique different etaient plantees par genotype pendant la premiere semainede juillet 1998 et I' evaluation etait faite 20 semaines apres. Les resultats ont indique que la croissance des plantes derivees dessouches depend non seulement du stage physiologique de la souche mais aussi de la dimension de bulbes et du genotype.