Evaluation of fruit and bunch traits in black Sigatoka resistant plantain and banana hybrids

Abstract

Studies involving the evaluation of fruit and bunch characteristics of twenty seven cultivars of plantain and banana were undertaken. Results showed that bunch weight of plantain hybrid, 25344-18, differed significantly (P<0.05) from all other genotypes except SH 3362, with an average of 20.8 kg plant. The number of hands and fruits bunch- for 9128-3, SH 3362, 25291-S32 and 25344-18 were significantly different (P<0.05) from plantain landraces (Agbagba and Obino l’Ewai). Agbagba differed significantly (P<0.05) from the rest of the genotypes both in fruit weight and fruit volume. There was a high significant difference (P<0.05) in fruit weight and fruit volume between a banana hybrid, 5295-1, and all other hybrids, and Obino l’Ewai. Highly significant positive correlation (P<0.01) was observed between bunch weight and the number of hands, number of fruits bunch, as well as fruit volume. The same trend was observed in the number of hands bunch and number of fruits hand, and also between fruit weight and fruit volume. A high negative correlation (P<0.01) was observed between number of fruits and fruit weight and volume. There was no correlation between number of hands and fruit weight, and number of hands and fruit volume. These findings suggest that new Musa hybrids are highly promising in terms of yield and certain fruit and bunch traits and could therefore complement African traditional plantains.

Key words: Black Sigatoka resistant, hybrid, evaluate, yield components, post harvest.