Abstract:
This study was conducted to evaluate yield performance of micro-propagated CM.Pd) East African cooking banana (Musa AAA East Africa) cv. Uganda and cv. Bukoba in the Eastern zone of Tanzania. Plant size of MPd cv. Bukoba was significantly bigger (p<O. 05) with pseudostem height, girth and height to girth ratio of 425.4, 67.0 cm and 6.4 compared to 370.6, 59.5 cm and 6.1 of the conventionally propagated (CPd) banana, respectively. Moreover, plant crops of MPd cv. Uganda and Bukoba were harvested 29 and 27 days earlier compared to the plant crops of CPd banana, respectively. On the other hand, plant crop of MPd cv. Bukoba produced smaller (p<0.05) bunches and fruits weighing 14.4 kg and 138.5 g compared to 23.9 kg and 146.2 g of the plant crop of CPd banana, respectively. Similarly, ratoon crops of MPd cv. Bukoba produced lower bunch and fruit weight than those of CPd banana. The low bunch yield of the MPd cv. Bukoba could be due to reduction in fruit weight. Plant crop ofMPd cv. Uganda produced more uniform fruits in terms of weight, length and girth whereas that of MPd cv. Bukoba produced more uniform fruits in terms of weight and girth. Fruit size uniformity was insignificantly different in subsequent ratoon crops of both cultivars. Further studies are required to determine causes and bases oflower yield in MPd cv. Bukoba.
