A Preliminary Evaluation Of Field-Planted Maricongo And Dwarf Plantains Grown From Explants, Using Hematicides, Standard Cultivation And Fertiliser Practices

Explants (tissue-cultured clones) of both Regular Maricongo and Dwarf plantains grew well under field conditions but showed a 27 per cent reversion to ordinary or Congo type plantain at fruiting. The latter produced larger bunches with more hands and fruits but had smaller fingers and a non-characteristic plantain appearance. True Maricongo and Dwarf plants averaged 11 months to shooting, with the Dwarf flowering two weeks later but most bunches matured in 75 days. As expected, the Dwarf clones were shorter and sturdier than the Regular Maricongo and the Dwarf also bore an average of two more green leaves at harvesting. Initial effects of nematicides and Diazinon were not evident, although the nematicides tended to produce slightly thicker pseudostems, particularly with Temik 10%G. No major windstorms have occurred during the present plant crop so that any possible wind tolerance effects resulting from the nematicide treatments have not yet been observed. Diazinon 2E delayed flowering slightly and reduced stem girth of Dwarf clones, but induced an average of one more sucker over other soil treatments and apparently controlled Root-Knot nematodes. Temik 10%G and Furadan 5%G suppressed Root-Knot nematode population but had no effect on spiral nematode species. Of great significance was the complete absence of burrowing nematodes in assays carried out on 10 month-old plants, a situation attributable to the use of explants as opposed to suckers or the like. All plants responded well to soil application of Fe-138 chelate when a general foliar chlorosis appeared midway during the first plant crop growth cycle.