Msogoya T.J., Maerere A.P., Kusolwa P.M., Nsemwa L.T.
Writtle College, Chelmsford Essex, CM1 3RR, United Kingdom; Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3005, Morogoro, Tanzania; Agricultural Research Institute, Uyole, P.O. Box 400, Mbeya, Tanzania
Msogoya, T.J., Writtle College, Chelmsford Essex, CM1 3RR, United Kingdom; Maerere, A.P., Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3005, Morogoro, Tanzania; Kusolwa, P.M., Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3005, Morogoro, Tanzania; Nsemwa, L.T., Agricultural Research Institute, Uyole, P.O. Box 400, Mbeya, Tanzania
This study was conducted to determine the performance of new improved banana cv. FHIA 17 and FHIA 23 (Musa AAAA hybrids) in the Eastern zone of Tanzania compared to popular local cooking banana cv. Bukoba, Uganda, Embwailuma, Malindi and Mshale and dessert banana cv. Kisukari, Mtwike and Jamaica. Results showed that cv. FHIA 23 and FHIA 17 were more (p<0.05) resistant to black sigatoka disease with infection index (II) of 16.0 and 18.7% compared to local banana cv. Jamaica, Uganda, Bukoba, Mshale, Mtwike, Embwailuma and Malindi with II of 23.3, 23.5, 24.4, 24.5, 27.1, 30.5 and 39.7%, respectively. Moreover, cv. FHIA 17 and FHIA 23 were earlier (p<0.05) maturing with bunches harvested at 360 and 375 days from the date of planting compared to cv. Jamaica, Malindi and Bukoba harvested at 405, 407 and 411 days, respectively. Conversely, the improved cultivars were later maturing than cv. Embwailuma, Uganda and Mshale harvested at 330, 334 and 345 days, respectively. Cultivars FHIA 17 produced bigger (p<0.05) bunch weighing 36.5 kg than all local cultivars while cv. FHIA 23 produced higher bunch yield of 25.0 kg than cv. Kisukari, Uganda, Embwailuma, Mshale and Jamaica with bunch weights of 13.7, 15.6, 16.1, 16.6 and 16.8 kg, respectively. On the contrary, cv. FHIA 23 produced as big (p<0.05) bunch as cv. Malindi with bunch weighing 22.9 kg, but smaller than that of cv. Mtwike of 31.3 kg. The dissemination of these cultivars to farmers in the Eastern zone of the country is highly recommended though further studies are required to determine their suitability for dessert and matoke consumption as perceived by consumers in this zone and urban markets. © 2006 Asian Network for Scientific Information.