MSc

The study entitled ‘Evaluation of clonal variation in banana Musa spp.
(AAB group) ‘Rasthali’’ was carried out at Banana Research Station, Kannara
during May 2017- July 2018 with the objective to conduct survey in central parts
of Kerala and assess the natural variability in Rasthali clones of banana. Clones
collected from Palakkad and Thrissur districts along with clones maintained at
BRS, Kannara were planted in randomized block design with three replications.
The clones were characterized based on IPGRI descriptor for banana. The
analysis of variance revealed that significant variation for characters like plant
height, plant girth, length of leaf, width of leaf, total leaf area/ plant, length of
petiole, number of leaves and functional leaves, duration of vegetative phase, shoot
to harvest duration, total crop duration, bunch length, bunch weight, number of
hands/ bunch, number of fingers/ hands, fruit weight, fruit length, fruit girth, TSS,
total sugars, sugar-acid ratio, fruit peel thickness, pulp-peel ratio and shelf life of
ripe fruits at ambient conditions.
Plant height, plant girth, total leaf area/ plant at bunch emergence stage and
total crop duration were highest for Veneer Poovan and highest yield was obtained
for Veneer Poovan, Valiya Poovan and Marthaman. Valiya Poovan recorded
greatest fruit length, fruit girth and fruit weight. The quality parameters like TSS,
total sugars and sugar- acid ratio were recorded highest in Marthaman whereas fruit
peel thickness and shelf life were high in Andhra Poovan and, highest pulp- peel
ratio in Veneer Poovan.
Highest genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation were observed
for fruit weight. High heritability coupled with genetic gain was observed in all
characters except number of hands per bunch, bunch length and bunch weight. The
character fruit weight with high value for GCV, PCV and heritability, coupled with
genetic gain can be used for direct selection and further breeding programmes.
Total crop duration, fruit length, number of fingers per hand, fruit weight,
plant girth and fruit girth had showed positive direct effect on bunch weight per
plant while, plant height, bunch length and number of hands per bunch showed
negative direct effect on bunch weight.
Organoleptic evaluation revealed that highest mean score for taste, texture,
sweetness, flavour, colour and overall acceptability of fruits was in Marthaman
which also recorded high TSS, total sugars, sugar- acid ratio and less acidity.
Lowest mean scores for sweetness, flavour, overall acceptability and taste were
observed in Cheriya Poovan. Score for colour and texture were minimum in Veneer
Poovan.
The present study revealed that, based on yield, quality parameters and
organoleptic evaluation, Marthaman was the best.