Yield and quality of leafsheath fiber, center core flour, and plantation waste of wild seedy banana (Musa balbisiana Colla) psuedostem and their potential uses
2024
Granada, D.P.
This study evaluated the yield and quality of pseudostem leafsheath fiber and center core flour of wild seedy banana (Musa balbisiana Colla), locally known as 'Pagoha', or 'Butuhan'. Seeds from a mature fruit bunch were germinated and cultivated. Pseudostems were harvested at different plant stages (vegetative, flagleaf, flowering, and fruiting) and classified according to pseudostem regions (outer, middle, inner, center core) before fiber and flour extraction. The potential for vermicomposting of plantation waste, consisting mostly of leafsheath without tuxy, was also examined. Results indicated that the plant stage did not influence the number of leafsheaths in the outer and middle regions of the pseudostem. The inner region had significantly more leafsheaths during the flagleaf and flowering stages, but the fiber was brittle, and extraction was difficult. The middle region yielded more and heavier leafsheaths, higher fiber output, and finer fibers, making it suitable for fiber extraction. During the flowering stage, the pseudostem center core produced high biomass, and high flour yield and recovery. The flour exhibited acceptable functional properties, and elevated total carbohydrates, phenolic content, and antioxidant properties, suggesting its potential as a flour substitute. Plantation waste, as the sole substrate, proved favorable for rearing African nightcrawlers (Eudrilus eugeniae), producing vermicast rich in N and K. This study underscores the economic potential of wild seedy banana pseudostem as a source of quality fiber, flour, and organic waste material for vermiculture.
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