Banana crop abundance linked to length of day

Discussion in 'Plants: In the News' started by Junglekeeper, Dec 24, 2011.

  1. Junglekeeper

    Junglekeeper Esteemed Contributor 10 Years

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  2. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Yup - most tropical growers know that, and the temperate ones definitely do. It's part of why Ecuador is one of the most prolific banana-producing nations on the planet: even in the south our days don't vary by more than 5 minutes a year, and this means that the plants bloom faster and set larger bunches.
     
  3. Junglekeeper

    Junglekeeper Esteemed Contributor 10 Years

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    It occurred to me this information may be useful for an indoor grower. Artificial lighting may be required to ensure a sufficient photoperiod.
     
  4. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Good point - you can probably accelerate the development of an indoor banana by playing with the photoperiod - the article mentioned that for foliar output days of more than 12 hours were probably desireable, with a drop to 12 hours light to stimulate fruiting.

    However, you have to also take into account the banana's genetic programming: it's not going to fruit before 40-48 leaves. Period.
     

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