Morphology of the Banana Plants

 

 

 

Root System

 

Plants have numerous (200–500) fibrous roots. This is consistant with Bananas being Monocots.In well drained, deep, and fertile soils, roots may extend 1.5 m (5 ft) deep and 4.9 m (16 ft) wide. the root system of the banana tree provides structure and the ability for absorption of water. The root system of banana plants begins as a single rhizome that puts out suckers, which form new plants to replace the dying main plant after it fruits.

 

Since the Cavendish Banana is of the seedless variety, it means that that the new banana trees are created using the rhizomes that develop into new banana trees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shoot System

 

The entire above-ground portion of the plant is not a true woody trunk, as in other trees, but a “false trunk” or “false stem” that consists of leaves and their fused petiole bases, referred to as a pseudostem. The pseudostem supports a canopy consisting of 6–20 (or more) leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

Fruit

The most iconic fruit of the banana tree is a yellow slighty curved banana. They are generally elongate-cylindrical, straight to strongly curved, 3–40 cm (1.2–16 in) long, and 2–8 cm (0.8–3 in) in diameter. The fruit apex is important in variety identification; it may be tapered, rounded, or blunt. The skin is thin and tender to thick and leathery, and silver, yellow, green, or red in color.

Inside the ripe fruit, the flesh ranges from starchy to sweet, and in color from white, cream, yellow, or yellow-orange to orange. Bananas also vary in peel thickness. Some varieties have a thin peel and are more susceptible to damage in transport, whereas others have a comparably thicker peel (Big Mike variety). Fruits of cultivated Musa species are typically sterile or have extremely low fertility. They produce fruit pulp without pollination and fruits lacking seed.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

Banana vs. Plantain

Banana and plantain are perennial crops that take the appearance of trees as they mature. 

There are two big distinctions that can be made in bananas, Plantains and Common Bananas. Plantains are starchy rather than sweet and are grown extensively as a staple food source in tropical regions.  Plantain varieties account for about 85 percent of all banana cultivation worldwide. Plantain varieties of bananas have to be cooked before they can be eaten.

Bananas on the other hand can be eaten raw once they are ripe. The most common kinds are Dwarf Cavendish, Valery, and Williams Hybrid bananas. Other types of bananas include Apple and a small red banana called the Red Jamaica. The Cavendish is the most common variety of bananas. The Cavendish is a shorter, stubbier plant than earlier varieties. It was developed to resist plant diseases, insects and wind storms better than its predecessors. The Cavendish fruit is of medium size, has a creamier, smooth texture, and a thinner peel than earlier varieties.
They have a sweet taste and the demand for them has increased over the years. Exports surpassed 17 million tonnes – 6.1% above the level in 2012 (FAO). This has mostly come from South American countries, as they are receiving multiple grants in areas such as banana growth.

The problem with the Cavendish banana is that it is derived from a mono culture. This means that if something goes wrong, the world's most popular banana could face extinction.

The Banana Plant - chemical