Banana 101

momoese · 09-12-2005, 03:37 PM

Are the non seeding bananas we eat hybrids? If so, which Bananas are heirlooms?

momoese · 09-12-2005, 10:14 PM

So am I asking a really stupid question or what? Are the only "heirloom" bananas ornamental? Are there heirloom edibles even though they have no seeds?

GATrops · 09-13-2005, 07:30 AM

Mitchel-I take a stab at your question. The non-seeded bananas that we eat are natural mutations (that do not produce viable seeds) from some seeded species that occured along the way. The bananas and plantains that are grown today are "hybrids" derived from 2 seeded species, Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. These are give the labels "A" and "B", respectively. The seedlesss bananas and plantains that we enjoy are composed of various combinations of these 2 species. There are groups of bananas that are known as "AA", "AAA", "AAAA", "AB", "AAB", "ABB", "BBB", "AAAB" and a others. Some of the members of these groups are:

AAA-Gran Nain, Cavendish
AAAA-SH 3436
AAB-French Plantains, Mysore, Pisang Raja
ABB-Orinoco, Pelipeta
AAAB-Golfinger (FHIA-1)
BBB-Saba

There is a good description of this in several locations but one I really like is found in "Bananas and Plantain" by J.C.Robinson, published by CAB International in 1996. It also has a lot of really good info about fertilization, irrigation, etc. about bananas. It is in my opinion the best all-around banana growing book out there.

I hope this helps and I am sure our fellow board members will correct any mistakes in my post.

Richard

momoese · 09-13-2005, 08:29 AM

Thanks Richard, that was exactly what I wanted to know. Now I'll have to acquire a copy of that J.C. Robinson book and do some studying!

TimChapman · 09-13-2005, 09:19 AM

the term heirloom isn't really used with bananas, but if you apply it the same way you would with vegetables, almost all of the hundreds of edible cultivars in the world are heirlooms, and the rest of the edibles are the results of new breeding projects like the FHIA series you may see listed.

Tim Chapman

Bananavilla · 09-13-2005, 09:48 AM

Tim, your meaning that varieties such as "Cavendish" and "Ice Cream" are naturally occuring hybrids and not till more recently with the FHIA's and some others have there been "man made" hybrids?

Mike

09-12-2005, 03:37 PM	#1 (permalink)
momoese Banana grower momoese's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Zone: zone 10 Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 7,590 BananaBucks : 3,772 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,754 Times Was Thanked 10,888 Times in 3,311 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 729 Times	Banana 101 Are the non seeding bananas we eat hybrids? If so, which Bananas are heirlooms?

09-12-2005, 10:14 PM	#2 (permalink)
momoese Banana grower momoese's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Zone: zone 10 Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 7,590 BananaBucks : 3,772 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,754 Times Was Thanked 10,888 Times in 3,311 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 729 Times	Re: Banana 101 So am I asking a really stupid question or what? Are the only "heirloom" bananas ornamental? Are there heirloom edibles even though they have no seeds?

09-13-2005, 07:30 AM	#3 (permalink)
GATrops Member GATrops's Photo Gallery Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 153 BananaBucks : 62,106 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 42 Times in 17 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Banana 101 Mitchel-I take a stab at your question. The non-seeded bananas that we eat are natural mutations (that do not produce viable seeds) from some seeded species that occured along the way. The bananas and plantains that are grown today are "hybrids" derived from 2 seeded species, Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. These are give the labels "A" and "B", respectively. The seedlesss bananas and plantains that we enjoy are composed of various combinations of these 2 species. There are groups of bananas that are known as "AA", "AAA", "AAAA", "AB", "AAB", "ABB", "BBB", "AAAB" and a others. Some of the members of these groups are: AAA-Gran Nain, Cavendish AAAA-SH 3436 AAB-French Plantains, Mysore, Pisang Raja ABB-Orinoco, Pelipeta AAAB-Golfinger (FHIA-1) BBB-Saba There is a good description of this in several locations but one I really like is found in "Bananas and Plantain" by J.C.Robinson, published by CAB International in 1996. It also has a lot of really good info about fertilization, irrigation, etc. about bananas. It is in my opinion the best all-around banana growing book out there. I hope this helps and I am sure our fellow board members will correct any mistakes in my post. Richard

09-13-2005, 08:29 AM	#4 (permalink)
momoese Banana grower momoese's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Zone: zone 10 Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 7,590 BananaBucks : 3,772 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,754 Times Was Thanked 10,888 Times in 3,311 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 729 Times	Re: Banana 101 Thanks Richard, that was exactly what I wanted to know. Now I'll have to acquire a copy of that J.C. Robinson book and do some studying!

09-13-2005, 09:19 AM	#5 (permalink)
TimChapman Junior Member TimChapman's Photo Gallery Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 19 BananaBucks : 5,264 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Banana 101 the term heirloom isn't really used with bananas, but if you apply it the same way you would with vegetables, almost all of the hundreds of edible cultivars in the world are heirlooms, and the rest of the edibles are the results of new breeding projects like the FHIA series you may see listed. Tim Chapman

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09-13-2005, 09:48 AM	#6 (permalink)
Bananavilla Senior Member Bananavilla's Photo Gallery Location: Crescent City California Zone: 9 Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 211 BananaBucks : 68,904 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 35 Times in 17 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Banana 101 Tim, your meaning that varieties such as "Cavendish" and "Ice Cream" are naturally occuring hybrids and not till more recently with the FHIA's and some others have there been "man made" hybrids? Mike

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