THE CULTIVATION AND HARVESTING OF BANANA PLANT
Today been my first post on #farms and #steemchurch, I will be talking about Banana, Banana is an important fruit in Nigeria and its botanical name is "Musa sapientum" and its of various varieties be it from Gross michel, Musa cavendishii, Lacatan, Red banana, Canary banana.
CLIMATIC REQUIREMENTS
Temperature under which banana can survive range from 21°C - 35°C, rainfall normally falls between 150cm - 200cm per annum and can also be planted in areas of wind storm. Its soil requirements are well drained rich loamy soil or clay loamy soil with a pH of 6.
PLANTING MATERIALS
Banana has different kinds of planting materia among whom are Water -shoot or bit, Piper, Sword sucker, Maiden sucker.
PEST OF BANANA
Banana Borer : This is refers to as the larvae of an insect bore hole into the corn of the plant
Bat : Specialized in eating up of the ready to harvest fruits
Monkeys : Similar to Bat that is, eating up the banana fruits.
All this pest can be control by uprooting and burning of the affected plants, treating of plant materials with chemical, setting of traps and early harvesting of fruits
DISEASES OF BANANA
Banana is usually affected with many kinds of diseases ranging from Panama Disease, Leaf Spot and Bunchy Top. The three were Fungal and Viral disease which do cause the following defects
- It do turns its leave to yellowish colour
- They causes stunted growth
- They makes leave develop curled edges.
- They causes crowded leaves
- They sometimes affects the whole vascular system
CONTROL
- Spray with fungicides
- Burn and bury infected plant
- Always practice food sanitation
MODES OF HARVESTING - Cutting of banana bunch stalk with sharp knife or cutlass
- The pseudo stem is been cut down sometimes
STORAGE
Can be processed into juice which will later be stored in cans
- Banana does not usually store well, but the fruits (fingers) can be stored in a refrigerator.