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Evaluation of exotic banana cultivars in Cameroon |
Cahiers Agricultures. Volume 10, Number 1, 19-24, Janvier - Février 2001, Etudes originales
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 Résumé
Article gratuit
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Author(s) : Pascal Noupadja, Jean Tchango Tchango, Catherine Abadie, Kodjo Tomekpé |
Summary : Black sigatoka represents the major biological constraint to banana production, with yield losses ranging from 20% up to 50% on plantains. In order to alleviate this constraint, the appropriate solution at present is the breeding of resistant varieties. Along with this long term strategy, a short term strategy consists in selecting naturally resistant varieties from among the existing diversity. Exotic banana cultivars have thus been chosen from the CRBP's Musa germplasm for their evaluation in a semi-intensive cropping system. Three objectives were assigned to this study: (i) evaluating agronomic performance, (ii) assessing behaviour vis-à-vis black sigatoka and (iii) testing acceptability by consumers. The purpose of this evaluation was to select new resistant banana cultivars that could be introduced into production areas for varietal diversification.
Twenty cultivars (Table 1) from different genomic groups were planted in a randomised complete block design with 2 replications of 5 plants, at a planting density of 1,667 plants/ha. No chemical treatment against black sigatoka were applied. Agronomic characteristics (height and circumference of the pseudo-stem, cycle duration, bunch weight, number of hands per bunch, number of fruit per bunch, length of the representative fruit) were recorded for the plant crop and the first ratoon. Black sigatoka incidence expressed by the youngest leaf spotted (YLS) was assessed during the vegetative phase of the plant crop, from 6 months after plantation to flowering. Acceptability tests were carried out with banana and plantain consumers randomly chosen from different ethnic groups living in Njombe. Consumers were asked to evaluate the fruits cooked according to the main culinary methods encountered in Cameroon and West and Central Africa. Nine to nineteen consumers participated in the tests according to fruit availability.
Significant differences were obtained in the agronomic parameters recorded during the plant crop and the first ratoon (Tables 2 and 3). The cultivars Baro Baro (ABB), 1DN 077 (AAA), Kalapua n° 2 (ABB), Lagun Vunalir (AAA) and Topala (AAB) were the most productive with yield potential exceeding 50 mt/ha/year (Figure 1). Dwarf Kalapua (ABB), a cultivar originating from Papua New-Guinea, with a yield potential of 41 mt/ha/year, is interesting for its short stature and sturdiness. Three of the cultivars – 1DN 077, Lagun Vunalir and Pisang Kelat – showed total resistance to black sigatoka while all of the others evaluated were partially resistant (Table 2). The acceptability tests conducted by cooking bananas in different culinary forms showed that 66.7 % and 84.2 % of the participants preferred the Dwarf Kalapua and Topala cultivars (Table 4). Four cultivars were selected for introduction into production areas in Cameroon and other West and Central African countries as cooking types [Topala (Figure 2), Dwarf Kalapua (Figure 3) or Kalapua n° 2] or dessert types (IDN 077, Lagun Vunalir). If such resistant cultivars are grown in farm fields along with susceptible cultivars, they will help increase yield through sigatoka inoculum reduction and better fruit filling. |
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