Banana and Plantain Propagation Techniques

• Agriculture is the art, science, and business of producing crops and livestock from Earth's natural resources for economic gain.
• Farming involves producing food, fodder, and industrial materials.

Agriculture as an Art

• Agriculture requires skills, including physical and mental abilities.
• Physical skills include handling farm equipment and applying fertilizers/pesticides.
• Mental skills involve making decisions based on experience, such as timing of plowing and crop selection.

Agriculture as a Science

• Agriculture utilizes modern technologies (crop improvement, protection, economics) to maximize yield and profit.

Agriculture as a Business

• Agriculture aims for maximum net return via land, labor, water, and capital management.
• Agriculture is commercialized through mechanization.

Aim of Agriculture

• The primary goal is to increase land production and protect it from deterioration and misuse.

About Bananas and Plantains

• Bananas and plantains are fruit crops of the genus Musa, family Musaceae.
• Musaceae are evergreen, palm-like perennials with false stems that need sun or shade and rich, well-drained soil
• Plantains are starchy tropical fruits, similar to bananas but bigger, and cooked due to high starch content.
• Bananas and plantains were classified as Musa sapientum and Musa paradisiaca but are now recognized as hybrids of Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana.

Banana

• The common Cavendish banana is scientifically known as Musa sapientum.
• Bananas thrive in humid tropical climates with well-drained, moist soil.
• Bananas need rainfall range of 1800-2500 mm, a minimum temperature of 8–9°C, and an optimum temperature of 24–29°C.
• Bananas are native to Bangladesh, Malaysia, and are grown in India, Taiwan, Equator, and Nigeria.
• Bananas are valued for their flavor, nutritional value, and year-round availability.

Plantain

• The scientific name of the commonly grown plantain is Musa paradisiaca.
• Unripe plantains are green, ripening to yellow and then dark.
• Plantain is a staple food in African, Caribbean, and Latino diets, often fried, boiled, or processed into flour.
• Plantains provide Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C, with fibers for making ropes, paper, and matting.
• Plantains are native to Malaya and the Philippines but are grown in Africa.
• Plantains thrive in warm, humid tropical and subtropical climates.

Physical Description of a Plantain Plant

• Plantain plants are herbs that grow from underground stems (rhizomes).
• Varieties grow 3–10 meters tall with a conical false trunk (pseudostem) formed by spirally arranged leaf sheaths.
• Plantain plants have a root system, leaves up to 2.7m long and 60cm wide, and male and female flowers.
• Fruits are green/brown-yellow, larger than bananas, arranged in hands of 10-20 plantains.

Problems Facing Banana and Plantain Farmers

• Bananas and plantains can adapt to various ecosystems with significant food production potential.
• A major issue in increasing production is the lack of healthy planting material stemming from the negative effects of parasites.
• Production techniques for healthy planting materials include:
  • in vitro cultivation
  • macro-propagation/PIF technique
• PIF (Plants Issues de Fragments de Tiges) means “Plants derived from Stem Fragments".
• PIF is cheaper and faster than the in vitro culture.
• PIF uses the primary buds of entire suckers or corm fragments that are destroyed, and axillary buds are exposed to high humidity to induce sprouts.
• PIF is successful among farmers due to the ease of producing large numbers of plantlets.
• One sucker yields 10-50 plantlets using PIF, depending on the plantain variety and the farmer’s experience.

Stages in PIF Production

• Making a propagator
• Making a greenhouse
• Making a shade house
• Selecting suckers
• Cleaning and trimming of bulbs
• Peeling of bulbs
• Phytosanitary treatments of peeled stem before propagation
• Propagation of the explants
• Reactivation
• Taking cuttings
• Replanting in bags and acclimatisation in shade houses
• Plant care

Making a Propagator

• Propagators/seedbeds can be made from wood, plastic, or cement and can be constructed on or above ground.
• Sizes vary based on production objectives.
• Easy access to the explants must be ensured. -Propagators should be 1 meter wide with variable length.
• A 1 m x 10 m propagator facilitates easy handling of the explants.
• Propagator depth: 25-50 cm with a sealed base to prevent direct contact with the ground below.
• Add a 10 cm layer of fine sand/gravel or perforated polythene sheets at the bottom for drainage.
• Seedbeds are filled with ~20 cm of light-colored sawdust.
• Avoid colored wood sawdust (dark, red, or yellow) as it can harm plantlets.

Making a Greenhouse

• Greenhouses are constructed around propagators.
• Make a framework 80-120 cm above the seed flat.
• Two slopes are needed to facilitate runoff in case of rain.
• The propagator must be hermetically sealed with strong, transparent polythene.

Making a Shade House

• The material depends on availability (palm fronds, straw, netting).
• It should be 1.5–2 meters high, reducing sunlight by ~50%.

Selecting Suckers

• Selection is crucial, requiring removal of a healthy sucker from a fully-grown cultivar's base.
• Suckers should have narrow, sword-shaped leaves, a 5-40 cm pseudostem (sword sucker), and be free from disease/nematodes.

Cleaning and Trimming of Bulbs

• Clean bulbs with a sharp knife/machete.
• Remove the top of the bulb and all roots, up to 3-5 mm.
• Trimmed/cleansed bulbs should look totally white.

Peeling of Bulb

• Procedure success hinges on this stage.
• The plantain base has a conical pseudostem of spirally arranged leaves.
• Peeling involves removing leaf sheaths one by one.
• Remove sheaths one by one up to ~2 mm above the knot, removing 3-5 layers total.
• Cut pseudostem back to 1-2 cm from the last visible knot.
• Make a right-angled crosscut on the bud at each leaf’s beginning.

Phytosanitary Treatments of Peeled Stem Before Propagation

• Soak peeled stems in a mix of fungicide/insecticide to eliminate fungus, insects, and nematodes, and then dry the stems.
• Dry the stems in open air, in a dry, shady spot for 48-72 hours.
• The local agricultural service provider can be contacted for specific information.
• Pesticide amounts should be added to the water while stirring.
• Some commercial pesticides are callidium-ridomil plus, sarpagrum, and caiman rogue.

Organic Fungicides-Insecticides

• Neem usage: Dilute 2 cl of neem oil in one litre of water. Put the mixture in a vaporiser and spray.
• Garlic Usage: Pour 10 litres of boiling water over 80-100 g crushed bulbs. Cover and leave for 1 hour. Filter, and spray when cold.
• Hot peppers Usage: Mix 300g of ground peppers with two litres of water. Put the resulting mixture in a sealed container to get a good mix. Filter the mixture and add soapy water. Spray the mixture.
• Insecticidal plants like mahogany, mango tree, and acacia Usage: Spray a suspension of ashes in soapy water, urine, or milk.

Propagation of Explants

• This stage involves placing the explants in the propagator.
• Trim surface of the explant after the drying period is complete.
• Make a right-angled crosscut in the centre of the explant. Leave it to stand for 30 to 60 minutes.
• Arrange the explants side by side in the propagator.
• Cover with 2–3 cm of light-colored sawdust.
• It is recommended to not water the the explants on the day they are placed in the propagator.
• Water explants thoroughly 24–30 hours later.

Reactivation

• Two weeks later, explants will have multiple shoots.
• When the shoots reach thumb size, reactivation can begin.
• Remove the plantlets from the explant ~2mm above the node and do a new crosscut in the pseudostem of the plantlet.
• Reactivation is not necessary, which can depend on production objectives.
• This is not recommended for beginners which allows more plantlets per explant.

Taking Cuttings

• Taking cuttings typically takes place 30 to 40 days after propagation.
• Young plants with 3–5 leaves are carefully removed.
• 20-100 plants can be produced per explant, depending on the variety and the farmer’s experience.

Replanting in Bags and Acclimatisation in Shade Houses

• The plantlet is replanted in a black, perforated polyethylene bag.
• Plantlets without roots should be replanted in the propagator sawdust for ten days before being transferred to bags.
• Bags: 17 cm x 24 cm
• Make sure the bags are filled with rich compost and that water can easily drain through.
• The quantities used will depend on the local soil types and the material available.
• To replant, make a hole in the centre of the bag.

Plant Care

• Weed the nursery regularly.
• Insecticide can also be applied directly in the bags or in the propagator to control parasites.
• Plantlets typically need to be watered four times a week.
• Between six to ten weeks after taking cuttings, the young plants are ready to be planted.

Agronomic Requirements for Growing Plantain

• Optimal temperature: 28°C. Growth slows down from 28°C to 20°C.
• Shade accelerates height growth, but density depends on the selected cultivar.
• Plantain Needs 200 mm water per month throughout its life cycle.
• Plantains are sensitive to strong wind, causing physical damage (torn leaves, toppling).
• Plantain grows in deep, well-drained soil rich in organic matter.
• Fallow land can also be used.

Explore the PIF technique for banana and plantain propagation, highlighting its success among small-scale farmers due to disease-free plantlets and cost-effectiveness. Understand the critical steps, like beheading the sucker, to ensure multiple plantlet development. Learn about propagator construction and the significance of phytosanitary treatments.