Achieving sustainablecultivation of bananas Volume 1: Cultivation techniques

Contents

Series list

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Part 1 Banana production and its challenges

Chapter 1 The origin, domestication and dispersal of bananas

1 Introduction

2 Origins: morphological and molecular evidence

3 The role of Musa balbisiana

4 Domestication and early cultivation of bananas

5 Archaeological evidence for early banana cultivation

6 Dispersal of bananas into Oceania

7 Dispersal of bananas into Africa

8 Dispersal of bananas in South and Southeast Asia

9 Conclusion

10 Where to look for further information

11 References

Chapter 2 Understanding the banana industry: monoculture and beyond

1 Introduction

2 Banana varieties and the Cavendish monoculture

3 The development of a banana monoculture

4 The dynamics of the banana monoculture

5 Post-war developments: business as usual?

6 The Cavendish era

7 Cavendish in crisis and a new paradigm

8 The hunt for new varieties

9 Future trends and conclusion

10 Where to look for further information

Chapter 3 Banana cultivation in Africa

1 Introduction

2 Cultivar composition and distribution

3 Production systems

4 Banana production in Uganda

5 Nutrient deficiencies

6 Moisture stress

7 Pests and diseases affecting bananas

8 Improving banana varieties for management of pests and diseases

9 Marketing as a constraint to banana production in Uganda

10 Future trends and conclusion

11 Where to look for further information

12 References

Chapter 4 Challenges and opportunities for smallholders in banana value chains

1 Introduction

2 Challenges along the value chain

3 Enabling an environment for addressing the challenges

4 Future trends

5 Conclusion

6 Where to look for further information

7 References

Part 2 Improving practices across the banana value chain

Chapter 5 A functional approach to bunch formation in banana

1 Introduction

2 Gross morphology and bunch form

3 Phases of development in banana

4 The floral phase: overview

5 Inflorescence

6 Formation of hands and fruit: independent but closely coordinated processes

7 Growth of the aerial true stem

8 Case study: photosynthate availability and bunch formation in banana

9 Conclusion

10 Where to look for further information

11 References

Chapter 6 Banana plant propagation methods

1 Introduction

2 Background to banana evolution

3 Banana morphology and vegetative propagation

4 Bits and suckers

5 Propagation using conventional planting material

6 Banana tissue culture

7 Liquid culture systems

8 Banana off-types and how to reduce them

9 Future trends and conclusion

10 Where to look for further information

11 References

Chapter 7 Conserving banana germplasm through field genebanks

1 Introduction

2 Objectives of the field genebank

3 Choosing the site

4 Sourcing material

5 Planting

6 Crop management

7 Quality control

8 Dissemination of quality planting stock

9 Case study

10 Future trends and conclusion

11 Where to look for further information

12 Acknowledgements

13 References

Chapter 8 Good agricultural practices: an end point or a starting point for more sustainable banana production?

1 Introduction

2 Why GAP in banana production?

3 GAP-related certification schemes in banana production

4 Is sustainable banana production being operationalized through GAP certification?

5 Improving GAP for more sustainable banana production

6 Scientific frontiers in bananas and implications for GAP

7 Conclusion: mutual lessons between GAP certification and approaches to sustainable banana production

8 Where to look for further information

9 References

Chapter 9 Challenges in cultivation of bananas in the subtropics

1 Introduction

2 The influence of climate in banana production

3 Main problems for banana cultivation in the subtropics

4 Solving cultivation problems

5 Other cultivation practices relevant to the subtropics

6 Greenhouse banana cultivation

7 Banana cultivars for the subtropics

8 Plant protection

9 Access to market

10 Conclusion

11 Where to look for further information

12 References

Chapter 10 Nutrition and soil management in banana cultivation

1 Introduction

2 Assessing nutrient requirements

3 Developing fertilizer use recommendations

4 Precision application of nutrients

5 Conclusion

6 Where to look for further information

7 References

Chapter 11 Harvesting and packaging of bananas

1 Introduction

2 Criteria determining when to harvest bunches

3 Harvesting techniques

4 Bunch movement from the fields

5 Packing house operations

6 Fruit selection processes

7 Packing bananas

8 Future trends

9 Where to look for further information

10 References

Chapter 12 Ripening systems for bananas

1 Introduction

2 Factors affecting banana ripening

3 Banana ripening cycles

4 The banana supply chain

5 Ripening technologies and rooms

6 Quality control

7 Summary

8 Future trends

9 About the author

Part 3 Assessing and improving sustainability

Chapter 13 Life cycle assessment and carbon footprint of banana cultivation

1 Introduction

2 Assessing the environmental impact of banana production

3 An integrated socio-economic carbon footprint banana value chain tool

4 Future trends and conclusion

5 Where to look for further information

6 Abbreviations

7 References

Chapter 14 Sustainable banana cultivation: from standards to multiple solutions

1 Introduction

2 Sustainability and the range of standards in banana production

3 The limits of sustainability standards

4 Sustainability and diversity in banana production systems

5 Case study: the variety of banana producers in the Philippines

6 Conclusion

7 Where to look for further information

8 References

Chapter 15 Organic banana cultivation and sustainability

1 Introduction

2 Organic banana production

3 Key requirements: location, soil and use of rotation

4 Soil fertility and fertilization

5 Disease management

6 Managing nematode and insect pests

7 Weed management

8 Discussion

9 Where to look for further information

10 Disclaimer

11 About the author

12 References

Index