Effect of type and weight of nursery produced planting material on the development of banana cv. Williams in North Queensland

Abstract

Bananas cv. Williams grown from planting material produced in a nursery were studied to determine minimum planting weights for planting material from this source. There were 3 weights of both suckers (0.25-0.5, 0.5-1.0, and 1.0-1.5 kg) and bits (0.45-0.6, 0.6-1.0, and 1.0-1.5 kg). Shoot emergence from suckers occurred on average 17 days earlier than from bits. Small and medium bits had shooting failures of 8 and 2% respectively. Medium and large suckers produced 2 bearing plants in the plant crop, the 'first' from the apex, the 'second' (shoot emergence 8 weeks later) from a lateral bud. The 'second' reduced sucker growth and bunch size of the 'first'. High sucker number was more consistent on plants from small suckers, and medium and large bits in the plant crop, which facilitated selection of even-sized followers. Cropping was most uniform in these treatments in ratoons 1 and 2. Yield of medium and large suckers in the plant crop was twice that of the other treatments and represented the combined yields of the 'first' and 'second' plant. However, the average annual yield of medium and large suckers over both the plant and ratoon 1 crops (57 t/ha) was the same as the other treatments, due to both a 12% reduction in yield and a longer period to harvest in ratoon 1. Yield of small suckers, and small, medium and large bits was the same in the plant crop (25 t/ha) and ratoon 1 crop (73 t/ha). Further work is required with nursery material to elucidate its response to time of planting, and the interaction of bud state and weight of bits.