MSc

The study entitled “Performance evaluation of ecotypes of banana (Musa AAB Plantain subgroup)” was undertaken in the Department of Pomology and Floriculture, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during April 2016 - May 2017 with the objective to characterize the various ecotypes of plantain with respect to clonal characteristics, biometric characters, yield potential and fruit quality. The effect of ten ecotypes of banana (Musa AAB plantain subgroup) was studied in detail and important findings are summarized below.
Evaluation studies revealed that the ecotypes differed significantly in most of the biometric characters except for plant spread. Among the different ecotypes, plant height at bunch emergence was the lowest in Attunendran, Perumatti Nendran and Nedunendran, while highest value for plant height was observed in Mettupalayam Nendran followed by Zanzibar and Big Ebanga. Number of functional leaves varied significantly and the highest number of functional leaves was recorded in Changalikodan followed by Attunendran and Zanzibar. Leaf production was lowest in Myndoli followed by Kaliethan and Chenkal Local. Girth of the plant did not vary significantly at three months after planting (3 MAP), but varied significantly at bunch emergence. The ecotypes Mettupalayam Nendran followed by Big Ebanga and Zanzibar had the highest pseudostem girth. The ecotypes Kaliethan, Chenkal Local and Nedunendran had comparatively lower girth. Number of suckers produced varied significantly among the ecotypes at harvest and more number of suckers was produced by Zanzibar, Big Ebanga, Attunendran and Mettupalayam Nendran. Sucker production was less in ecotypes like Nedunendran, Myndoli and Perumatti Nendran. Duration of vegetative phase, shoot-to-harvest and total crop duration varied significantly. The longest vegetative phase, shoot-to-harvest and total crop duration was observed in Myndoli. Perumatti Nendran had the shortest vegetative phase followed by Kaliethan and Chenkal Local. Shoot-to-harvest duration was the shortest in Zanzibar followed by Big Ebanga and Changalikodan. The ecotype Perumatti Nendran had the shortest crop duration followed by Kaliethan and Chenkal Local.
All the physiological attributes studied significantly varied among the ecotypes. Phyllacron at 3 month after planting (MAP) was the highest in Attunendran followed by Big Ebanga and Mettupalayam Nendran and lowest in Nedunendran followed by Chenkal Local and Zanzibar. Leaf area varied significantly both at 3 MAP and at harvest. At 3 MAP leaf area was the highest in Changalikodan followed by Mettupalayam Nendran and Chenkal Local and the lowest in Perumatti Nendran. But, at harvest Big Ebanga had the highest leaf area and Perumatti Nendran had the lowest. At harvest, Leaf Area Index (LAI) was the highest in Mettupalayam Nendran followed by Zanzibar and Big Ebanga. The ecotypes Kaliethan followed by Perumatti Nendran and Chenkal Local had the lowest LAI. The highest LAD was observed in Mettupalayam Nendran followed by Myndoli. The lowest Leaf Area Duration (LAD) was observed in Perumatti Nendran followed by Kaliethan and Changalikodan.
Yield characters varied significantly among the ecotypes. The length of bunches was the highest in Mettupalayam Nendran and the lowest in Zanzibar. Mettupalayam Nendran had large bunch (17.94 kg) compared to all other clones. Kaliethan (8.13 kg) and Perumatti Nendran (8.27 kg) had the smallest bunches. Mettupalayam Nendran exhibited the largest (6.83) number of hands per bunch and Zanzibar the lowest (2.08). Number of fingers per bunch also showed the same trend. Mettupalayam Nendran had the largest number of fingers (92.92) and Zanzibar had the lowest (25.75).
Finger characteristics also varied significantly among the ecotypes. Zanzibar had the highest length (37.92 cm), girth (16.63 cm) and weight (268.17 g) of fingers. Shortest finger was observed in Changalikodan (25.79 cm). Girth was the lowest in Perumatti Nendran (14.27 cm) while Nedunendran recorded the lowest finger weight (141.17 g). Peel weight was the highest in Zanzibar (64.50) and the lowest in Nedunendran (32.67 g). Changalikodan recorded the highest pulp/peel ratio (3.85), followed by Zanzibar (3.32) and Perumatti Nendran (3.30). The lowest pulp/peel ratio was found in Attunendran.
All the clonal characters studied varied significantly among the ecotypes, except for number of ridges. Bunch shape index was the highest in Chenkal Local and the lowest in Zanzibar. Chenkal Local recorded the highest openness of bunch while lowest was recorded in Myndoli. Fullness index was the highest in Big Ebanga and Zanzibar, while it was the lowest in Nedunendran. Maximum fruit curvature was recorded in Big Ebanga and the minimum in Changalikodan. Pedicel strength index was the highest in Mettupalayam Nendran and the lowest in Kaliethan. Nedunendran had the highest length/weight ratio and Big Ebanga the lowest.
Significant variation was observed among different accessions for qualitative parameters except for fibre content. TSS, TSS/acid ratio, reducing sugar, total sugar and total carotenoids were the highest in Changalikodan. TSS and TSS/acid ratio was the lowest in Big Ebanga. Acidity was the lowest in Changalikodan. Non-reducing sugar was the highest in Zanzibar. Zanzibar had the highest starch percentage of 24.07 and the least starch content was observed in Attunendran. Peel thickness and shelf life was the highest in Big Ebanga and lowest in Attunendran.
Organoleptic analysis revealed significant differences among the various ecotypes. The highest score for appearance was obtained for Changalikodan and Chenkal Local. The mean score for flavor, taste, texture and overall acceptability was the highest for Changalikodan.
Genetic parameters such as GCV (Genotypic Coefficients of Variation) and PCV (Phenotypic Coefficients of Variation) were studied for biometric and yield characteristics. The GCV and PCV were close to each other and exhibited the same trend. The highest estimate of phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation were recorded for number of fingers/bunch and bunch weight. Except girth of finger, plant height, number of leaves and girth of pseudostem all the other characters studied exhibited moderate to high PCV and GCV.
High to moderate heritability was exhibited by all the characters except number of leaves. All the characters other than number of leaves and girth of finger exhibited high genetic advance.
Correlation analysis indicated that most of the character combinations had higher genotypic correlation coefficients than phenotypic correlation coefficients. High positive and significant correlations were found between bunch weight and number of fingers, Pedicel strength index, girth of plant, number of hands, total crop duration and plant height. Weight of finger had significant positive correlation with height and girth of plant, girth of finger, fullness index and fruit curvature.