Here is an essay on ‘Banana’ for class 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Banana’ especially written for school and college students.
Essay on Banana
Essay Contents:
- Essay on the Origin and History of Banana
- Essay on the Area and Production of Banana
- Essay on the Importance and Uses of Banana
- Essay on the Classification of Banana
- Essay on the Choice of Varieties of Banana
- Essay on the Insect-Pests of Banana
- Essay on the Diseases of Banana Fruit
Essay # 1. Origin and History of Banana:
Banana (Musa species) is an important fruit of tropics. This is the only tropical fruit which is exported in large quantities.
The edible banana is believed to have originated in the hot, tropical regions of South-East Asia (Assam, Burma-Indo China region). The primary center of origin of table banana (M. acuminata) is the Malaysia region whereas the cooking banana (M. balbisiana) originated in southern India. Its cultivation is distributed throughout the warmer countries and is confined to regions between 30°N and 30°S of the equator.
Banana is one of the oldest fruits known to mankind. Its antiquity can be traced back to the Garden of Paradise where Eve was said to have used its leaves to cover her modesty. It may be one of the reasons why the banana is called ‘Apple of Paradise’ and botanically named Musa paradisiaca. Frequent mention is made of the banana in the great Indian epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Introduction of banana to Africa and the West is comparatively recent. It was introduced to East Africa before the time of Christ and spread thence to the West Coast of Africa across the tropical centre of the continent. They reached the Mediterranean about 650. A.D. and was taken to the pacific by Polynesian travellers about 1000 A.D. It is believed that the banana has been taken by Arabs from India to Palestinian Egypt. The first introduction to the New World was in 1516 A.D. from the Canary Islands by the Portuguese. The Central American Islands subsequently developed the greatest banana trade in the middle of the 19th Century.
Banana is widely grown in many countries under tropical and sub-tropical conditions like India, Mexico, Philippines, Uganda, Tanzania Thailand, Zaire, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Burundi, Colombia, Brazil, China Venezuela, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, Israel, Congo, South Africa, Bangladesh, Fiji, Hawaii, Indonesia, Taiwan, Queensland, Sri Lanka, Cuba, Panama, Jamaica, Indonesia, Cost Erica, Malaysia, Guatemala, West Indies and Australia.
Essay # 2. Area and Production of Banana:
Major banana producing countries in the world are India, Uganda, China, Philippines, Ecuador, Brazil, Indonesia, Cameroon, Tanzania, Guatemala, Mexico and Colombia. The production of banana in the world is 145 million tonnes. India has first position in the world in banana production having 20 per cent share. China, Philippines, Ecuador, Brazil and Indonesia are other leading banana producing countries sharing 7.36, 6.3, 5.5, 5.0 and 4.2 per cent in total production. Banana rank second in area under fruits in India.
Total area under Banana in India is 7.97 lakh hectares and production is 284.6 lakh tonnes. Banana is the largest fruit accounting for 37.2 per cent of the total fruit production from 11.9 per cent of the area. Tamil Nadu leads other states in area under banana cultivation occupying 23.7 per cent of the total area under this crop. The highest productivity of banana is recorded 62.3 mt/ha in Gujarat as compared to average productivity of 35.7 mt/ha in India.
Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Assam are the major banana growing states. There is a regional preference for the cultivar and production system depending upon agro climatic conditions. In the Southern states, banana is also grown exclusively for the leaves used as dining plate or wrapper for edibles. By and large, Dwarf Cavendish is the major cultivar of commercial banana.
Export Potential:
India is exporting banana to United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait, Bahrain, Nepal, Qatar, Oman, Maldives and Korea Republic. Export of banana from India to different countries during 2011-12 is Rs. 91.54 crores. The export of banana to UAE is 41.4 per cent of the total export from India.
Essay # 3. Importance and Uses of Banana:
Banana is a good source of vitamin A and a fair source of vitamin C, and B2 (Riboflavin). Banana fruits are rich source of minerals like magnesium, sodium, potassium and phosphorus and fair source of calcium and iron. Banana contains water 70%, carbohydrates 27%, crude fiber 0.5%, fat 0.3%, protein 1.2%, potassium 460 mg, magnesium 36 mg, phosphorus 27 mg, calcium 7 mg and ascorbic acid 10 mg/100 g of fruit and energy 104 calories per 100 g fruit.
Ripe fruits are delicious and are used for table purpose. In South India, both the plants and the fruits are used extensively in weddings, festivals and for worship. The immature fruits are used for vegetable. The fruits of some cultivars are used as breakfast food after steaming. The end of the inflorescence, technically known as pendant is cooked as a vegetable in Bengal. Many products are made from banana such as banana chips, fig, soft drink, flour and jam. Fruits of cv. Poovan are believed to be good even for diabetics and the dried fruit as an antiscorbutic.
Banana ash is rich in alkaline salts and therefore, can check acidity in stomach, heart burn and colic. Ripe fruits taken with tamarind and salt are said to control dysentery. In Uganda, banana is steamed, roasted or baked and fried. Beer is made out of banana in Africa. Banana flour is prepared from unripe fruits and banana powder from ripe fruits. Starch is manufactured from the Pseudo-stem. The Pseudo-stems of banana of all types have been used for manufacturing paper boards. In south India, the leaf of banana is used as a plate for serving meals. The sheathes and leaves are used for making crude ropes. Banana yields a good fibre. The species Musa textiles is well known for their strong fibre qualities.
Essay # 4. Classification of Banana:
There are several hundreds of cultivars of banana spread throughout the world. In India, the number is estimated to be over 300. According to the recent system of classification recognised the world over, edible bananas or those that originated in the section Eumusa have as their progenitors two wild species viz. Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. Simmonds and Shepherd have used a scoring technique to indicate the relative contribution of the two wild species to the constitution of any given cultivar. They identified 15 diagnostic characters to distinguish between M. acuminata and M.balbisiana.
For each character in which the variety agreed with wild M.acuminata, the score of one was given and for each character in which a variety agreed with wild balbisiana the score 5 was given and intermediate expressions of the characters were assigned scores of 2, 3 or 4 according to their intensity.
According to the scoring technique, the scores range from 15 (15 x 1) for M. acuminata to 75 (15 x 5) for M. balbisiana. A cultivar would have a larger score if it were derived from M. balbisiana and similar if it were derived from M. acuminata. An analysis showed that cultivars belonged to six groups of which two were diploid, three triploid and one tetraploid.
The best known bananas of commerce all over the world belong to the pure acuminata AAA Group, but the balbisiana genome is associated with greater drought hardiness and resistance to disease. It is not surprising, therefore, that hybrids of AB, AAB and ABB constitution are better adapted to monsoon areas with marked dry seasons, these banana show wide variability and are grown chiefly for local consumption in India and Uganda.
The AA and AAA bananas are cultivated mainly in areas where rainfall is equally distributed throughout the year or where water for irrigation is readily available. The greater uniformity of the AAA types makes them particularly suitable for large-scale production for export as in Central America, the Caribbean Islands and northern South America.
The basic chromosome number of Eumusa section is 11. Edible bananas belonging to this genus have 22, 33 or 44 chromosomes as they are diploid, triploid or tetraploid respectively. Most of the cultivated types are triploids. Diploids are less and tetraploids are rare. Diploids in general have somewhat stiffer leaves and petioles than triploids and triploids are stiffer than tetraploids. Triploids and tetraploids are bigger and more robust than diploids. Leaf thickness and cell size both increase with increasing ploidy. Most of the triploid clones have sterile pollen whereas diploid pollen varies from sterile to highly fertile.
Several Latin names have been used till recently in the botanical nomenclature of the banana. Three of the earliest employed were Musa paradisiaca, Musa cavendishii and Musa sapientum. These have been superseded by a genome nomenclature for cultivars in recognition of their derivation from two wild species Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. The cultivated banana is botanically Musa paradisiaca.
Essay # 5. Choice of Varieties of Banana:
The important cultivars of banana are described below:
1. Poovan:
Musa (AAB) Group- Syn. Poovan (Tamil Nadu), Champa (West Bengal), Lal Velchi (Maharashtra), Karpura Chakrakeli (Andhra Pradesh), Palayangodan (Kerala), Kadali (Tamil Nadu), Dora Vazhai (Nilgiris).
It is commercially grown in West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The plant is tall, hardy and grows vigorously under the ratooning system of cultivation. The fruit is small. Skin is yellow and thin, flesh firm, sweet with a pleasant sourish taste. There is rose pink colouration of the other side of the midrib when leaves are young. It has a good keeping quality. It is resistant to Panama wilt and fairly resistant to bunchy top disease. The average bunch weight is about 15 kg and has 200-225 fruits.
2. Dwarf Cavendish:
Musa (AAA) Group- Syn. Basrai, Loton (Maharashtra), Kabuli (West Bengal), Vaman Keli, Bhusaval (Andhra Pradesh), Pacha Vazhai, Mauritius, Kuzhi Vazhai (Tamil Nadu), Basrai Dwarf (Gujarat).
This variety is grown commercially in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bihar and West Bengal. The plant of this variety is dwarf with only 1.5 ― 2.0 m in height. The fruits are large and curved. The skin is thick and greenish. The flesh is soft and sweet. The variety is susceptible to cold. Fruits ripened at a high temperature often develop black spots on it, hence name Chittidar. It is a high yielding variety but keeping quality is poor. A bunch on an average weighs about 20 kg. The fruits tend to drop off from the bunch when ripe. It does not bear fertile male flowers. The variety is susceptible to bunchy top and leaf spot but resistant to Panama wilt.
3. Harichhal:
Musa (AAA) Group- Syn. Bombay Green (Maharashtra), Peddapachaarti (Andhra Pradesh), Robusta (Tamil Nadu).
It is an important variety commercially grown in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. It is a semi-tall sport of Dwarf Cavendish. It is similar to Basrai except that the fruit is more green and straight, the bunch is more symmetrical and the plant taller. Fruits are large, skin thick, greenish to dull yellow, sweet and delicious. The fruits have better keeping quality than that of Dwarf Cavendish. It prefers a moist coastal climate. Average bunch weight is about 20 kg.
4. Kanchkela:
Musa (ABB) Group- Syn. Khasdia (Gujarat), Monthan (Tamil Nadu), Bontha (Andhra Pradesh), Maduranga Bale, Aunda Bale, Mangakai (Karnataka), Khasdi, Bankel (Maharashtra), Bainsa (Bihar), Ponthan (Kerala), Batisa (Orissa), Bluggoe (Trinidad), Pisang Nanka (Malaysia).
This is the most important commercial culinary banana cultivar of India. The plant is tall, robust, light green leaves. The plant is hardy and somewhat drought tolerant. The skin is thick. The fruits having prominent three ridges, it can withstand cold better. Keeping quality is good. Average bunch weight is approximately 15 kg. It has good immunity to Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) disease and salt tolerance but is highly susceptible to Fusarium wilt disease.
5. Martaman:
Musa (AAB) Group- Syn. Rasthali (Tamil Nadu), Mutheli (Maharashtra), Malbhog (Bihar), Amruthapani (Andhra Pradesh), Rasabale (Karnataka), Sonkel (Kerala), Silkfig (Trinidad).
It is the most liked table variety of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Bihar and West Bengal. The plant is tall, yellowish-green stem, the brownish blotches, reddish margins of the petiole and leaf sheath. The average bunch weight is about 12 kg. Fruits are medium-sized and similar to that of Poovan in appearance. It is susceptible to Panama disease and ripe fruit drop off from the bunch. The plant has better root system and can resist wind better than other varieties.
6. Lalkela:
Musa (AAA) Group- Syn. Chenkadali, Sevazhai (Tamil Nadu), Anupan (Bihar), Rathambala (SriLanka), Red banana (Trinidad).
This variety is grown throughout the world. This is the most robust of the bananas grown in India. The height of the plant goes up to 4-5 metres. The colour of the Pseudo stem, petiole, midrib and fruit is purplish red. The fruit is of good size and has a characteristic aroma. The skin is thick; pulp is saffron coloured, firm, fairly moist and sweet. The variety has a free suckering habit. It is highly susceptible to bunchy top, fusarium wilt and nematodes
7. Nendran:
Musa (AAB) Group- Syn. Nendran (Kerala), Ethakai (Kerala), Rajeli (Maharashtra), Kochikehal (SriLanka), Plantain (Trinidad).
The cultivar is known in all parts of the world as plantain. It is cultivated on commercial scale in Kerala. It has habit of producing more suckers. The pseudo-stem has a distinct shade of pink colouration. The fruit is relatively longer and thicker than most other bananas. The bunch is not compact and average weight is 15 Kg. Keeping quality is good. The variety is suitable for the preparation of banana flour, banana chips and drying as fig. It is highly susuptible to Banana Mosaic Virus (BBMV), nematodes and borers.
8. Gros Michel:
Musa (AAA) Group- Syn. Anamalu (Sri Lanka), Blue Field (Hawaii).
The variety was introduced in South India from Trinidad. It is the best dessert variety and excels other varieties in length of bunch, number of fruits, flavour, attractive skin colour and resistant to bruising. It is susceptible to wilt disease.
9. Grand Naine:
Musa (AAA) Group- It is tall mutant of Dwarf Cavendish. This variety is gaining popularity among the growers of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Punjab. It is more vigorous and robust with well-spaced hands, bigger sized fingers and heavy bunches. Bunch weight is 25-30 kg and requires propping. It has the potential to bear 40 kg bunch.
10. Safed Velchi:
Musa (AB) Group- Syn. Sonery (Maharashtra), Ney Poovan (Tamil Nadu), Nhali Poovan (Kerala), Kadali (Malabar), Nitka Bale, Deva Bale (Karnataka).
The variety is popular in Kerala and Maharashtra and mostly grown as intercrop in coconut and arecant garden. The plant is tall, stem is slender. Pseudo-stem is yellowish having reddish petiole margin. The fruits are small, firm fleshed and sweet. Keeping quality is very good. The average bunch weight is about 10-12 kg.
11. Hill Banana:
Musa (AAB) Group- Virupakshi Syn. Mala Vazhai
The banana is a specialty of Tamil Nadu. These are perennial bananas of high quality. Sirumalai and Virupakshi are the two main types. Fruits of sirumalai have better taste. The average bunch weight is about 12 kg. The duration of the variety is about 14 months.
12. Giant Governer:
Musa (AAA) Group- It is popular in West Bengal. The plant is medium dwarf. The fruits are large, greenish to dull yellow in colour. The pulp is firm and taste is sweet. It produces bunch weighing 15-18 kg. The variety is susceptible to (Sigatoka) leaf spot disease but resistant to wilt.
13. Co.1. Banana:
It is a hybrid developed at TNAU, Coimbatore. It is a multi-crosses made among ‘Ladan’ as female parent and Musa balbisiana and ‘Kadali’ as a male parents. It takes about 14 month duration. The average bunch weight is 10 kg.
Varietal Improvement:
The female parents like Angniswar (AAB), Mannan (AAB), Nendran (AAB), Palayankodan (AAB), Harichhal (AAA), Lacatan (AAA) and male parents as Pisan Lilin were used for crossing. The progenies from the cross Agniswar x Pisang Lilin (H-1) showed high bunch weight from 14-16 kg. It is resistant to sigatoka leaf spot, fusarium wilt and burrowing nematode. Vannan x Pisang Lilin (H-2) showed bunch weight from 15-20 kg. It is learnt to sigatoka leaf spot and nematode. BRS-1 and BRS-2 are other promising hybrids developed at BRS, Kannara.
Essay # 6. Insect-Pests of Banana:
1. Stem Borer (Odoiporus Longicollis Olivier):
It causes much damage to banana plant. The larva feeds and tunnels inside the corm, leaves turn yellow, wither and ultimately plant die.
Remove all infested plants and destroy them. Spray 0.04% Endosulfan or 0.1% carbaryl. Use celphos (3 tablets per plant) tablets inside the pseudo-stem and plaster the slit with mud. The pest can be controlled by applying 3g of carbofuran granules per stool.
2. Banana Aphid (Pentalonia Nigronervosa Coquerel):
The insect is particularly important as it is the vector of the virus causing bunchy top disease. The nymphs and adults suck sap from young and tender leaves.
Spray 0.3% Rogor 30 EC (dimethoate) or monocrotophos or 0.05 per cent malathion or 0.01 per cent metasystox. Soil application of phorate or Carbofuran @ 4-5 kg/ha near the base of suckers or rhizome at the time of planting is very effective.
3. Rhizome Weevil (Cosmopolites Sordidus Germar):
The pest does harm to the banana crop throughout the year. The grubs bore into the rhizomes. Adults hide in leaf sheathes and suckers.
Remove and destroy infested rhizomes and stumps. Suckers should be dipped in 0.1 per cent quinalphos emulsion or monocrotophos (0.5%) for 30 minutes before planting. Spray 0.05% Fenitrothion or 0.03% phosphamidon around the base of plants.
4. Banana Beetle (Nodostoma Subcustatum Jucoby, Colaspis Hypochlora):
The pest generally attacks young leaves and fruits. They hide under folded leaves. The spots are seen on fruits. The quality of fruit is deteriorated. Occurrence of pest is maximum during rainy season.
For the control of pest follow clean cultivation practices. Dust with malathion to check the pest.
5. Tobacco Caterpillar (Spodoptera Litura):
It is active during July-September and cause damage on upper and lower surface of leaf blades. Fully grown caterpillars eat up the central whorl of plant thus render the plants stunted in growth.
The pest can be controlled by spraying 1000 ml quinalphos (Ekalux 25 EC) in 500 litres of water when it appears on the plant. Spray can be repeated if need arises.
6. Pseudo-Stem Borer (Odiporus Longicollis):
It is active during summer and rainy season. The grubs bore into the stem and feed within it. There is exudation of plant sap and blackened mass that comes out from the hole bore by the grubs. The whole plant dies at later stage.
The affected plants should be uprooted and burnt. Three tablets of celphos per plant should be placed inside the pseudo-stem and plastered the slit with mud. Treating the plants with carbofuran (3g of granules/stool) is effective treatment. Alternately, Carbaryl 50 WP (0.1%) also checks the population of pest.
7. Namatodes (Rhadopholus Similis):
They are now recognised as an important soil-borne pathogens causing decline in yield in bananas. Affected plants do not response to fertilizer, irrigation or cultural practices. Small dark spots appear on the root. The nematode lays eggs in the root tissue. After hatching out, larvae also feed on the root. Plant growth is retarded and yield is affected adversely.
Banana sets may be disinfected either by paring, heat therapy, and chemical treatment or by combination of these methods. The pared sets can be disinfected by dipping them in a hot water bath at 55°C for 10 minutes or soil application of carbofuran at 2 kg per hectare can check the nematodes.
Essay # 7. Diseases of Banana Fruit:
1. Panama Disease or Banana Wilt:
The disease is caused due to the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. cubense. The disease was first reported from Panama in early 1900. It is a soil borne fungus and gets entry in the plant body through roots. It is a serious disease in poorly drained soils with planting of banana year after year.
The leaves of affected plants turn yellow and later they hang around the pseudo-stem and wither. Black streaks appear on rhizomes and pseudo-stems. The disease spreads fast on acid alluvial soils. Warm soil temperature and bad drainage favour the spread of the disease.
The affected plants should be uprooted and destroyed. Always avoid banana planting on infested soil. Disease free rhizomes and suckers should only be used for planting. Apply Bavistin @ 1 g. per litre of water. It is advisable to plant disease resistant varieties like Basrai Dwarf, Poovan, Champa, Raja Vazhai, Vaman Keli, etc. Apply more quantity of farmyard manure for its control.
2. Leaf Spot or Sigatoka Disease:
It is caused due to Mycosphaerella musicola- Sexual stage and Cercospora musae- Asexual stage.
Sigatoka is the name of the valley in Fiji where the disease first attracted during 1913. It is a fungal disease. The presences of light yellowish spots on the leaves are the first symptoms. A small number of these enlarge, become oval and changes to dark brown.
Infection occurs through the stomata of the young leaves, the lower surface being much more important than the upper. The size of bunch and fruit is reduced due to reduction of leaf area available for photosynthesis. Fruits may ripe prematurely. High humidity occurs due to close planting, heavy weeds and failure to remove suckers, favour in spreading the disease.
Proper drainage of field is very important for control of this disease. Avoid too close planting and remove suckers and weeds regularly. Affected leaves should be removed and destroyed. Bordeaux mixture 1 per cent + 2 percent linseed oil spray should be given. Spray with Dithane M-45 at 0.2 per cent.
3. Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV):
The disease is said to be due to virus (Bunchy Top Virus, Banana Virus I or Musa Virus I). The banana aphid (Pentalonia nigronervosa Coq) is the main agent of transmitting the disease. The dwarf bananas are very susceptible to this disease.
The leaves are bunched together into a rosette at the top and their margins are wavy and slightly rolled upward. The presence of interrupted dark green streaks along the secondary veins of the lamina or the midrib or petiole is a characteristic symptom of bunchy top. The diseased plants remain stunted and do not produce bunch of any commercial value.
It is advisable to always plant virus free suckers obtained from reliable nursery. Remove all affected plants along with complete rhizome. To check aphid, spray 0.3 per cent Rogor or Phosphamidon or Monocrotophos (0.05%). Never allow banana plant/clumps at a place for more than 3 years. Herbicide like 2, 4-D may be applied on the stool after cutting down for effective killing of the plant.
4. Banana Bract Mosaic Virus (BBMV):
Yellow green bands or mottling over an entire leaf appear. Such leaves show abnormal thicking of veins. Development of bunch is adversely affected.
Uproot and destroy the affected plant along with rhizome. The cultivation of cucurbits near the banana field should be discouraged.
5. Bacterial Wilt or Moko Disease (Pseudomonas Solanacearum):
On young plant, one of the youngest three leaves becomes pale green or yellow and collapse near the junction of the lamina with the petiole. The presence of yellow fingers often indicates the presence of this disease. Fruit rot and fruit stalk vascular discolouration, wilted or blackened re-growth of suckers, blackened and dead male flower buds are the characteristic symptoms of bacterial wilt.
Flower visiting insects are main agents for transmitting the disease and this is a good reason for following the practice of removing the bud from the male axis before the bunch mature. Herbicide 2, 4-D can be used to kill infected plants in situ. Follow phytosanitation practices in banana plantation.
6. Fruit Rot (Macrophomina Musae and Gloeosporium Musarum):
Lesions are formed on fruits and stalk followed by rotting. Such fruit ripen prematurely and finally turn brown and rot.
To check the disease, remove affected fingers (fruits) and stalk. Spraying the bunch with Topsin M or Dithane M-45 (0.1%) is effective control of this disease.
7. Pitting Disease (Pyricularia Grisea):
Round, sunken pits appear on the fruit as it approaches maturity or after harvest. Splitting may occur in the centre of the pit. Pits do not extend to the pulp.
All collapsed and drying leaf tissues including transition leaves and bracts should be removed at regular interval, especially during the rainy season. To protect the fruits, spray weekly with Dithane M-45.
8. Anthracnose (Gloeosporium Musae):
This disease attacks the banana plants at all stages of growth. Small, black, circular streaks appear on flowers, skin and distal ends of banana heads. Four sprays of Bavistin (1%) or Prochloroz (0.15%) at fortnightly internal can check the disease effectively.