SOME BANANA VARIETIES OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Musa species
FAMILY: Musaceae
In March/April, 1989 and February 1990, I visited Tonga, Western Samoa and the Cook Islands in association with the banana plant improvement project funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). The principal aim of the project is to upgrade the South Pacific and Australian banana industries by providing them with new and alternative banana and plantain varieties. These varieties would have an improved level of resistance to Sigatoka leaf diseases and Fusarium wilts (Panama disease), to help develop their domestic and export markets.
While in these countries, I collected some of their indigenous banana varieties and classified the range of banana varieties present. Table 1 is a summary showing the major varieties and their various names in the different countries. Names and spellings given for a variety also vary within countries. The most widely used name is given in the Table. The most popular varieties present are Cavendish (Williams, mainly), Maia Maoli/Popoulu types (those resembling Pacific Plantain - Corne Plantain grown in north Queensland), Bluggoe, Blue Java, Mysore (W. Samoa only) and Lady Finger (Cook Islands only). Bananas are an important staple food in W. Samoa and to a far lesser extent in Tonga and the Cook Islands.
It is the aim of the QDPl to improve the profitability of banana growing in Queensland and ensuring its long-term viability. Threats to the commercial banana industry by black Sigatoka leaf disease and banana bunchy top virus present in the South Pacific countries, means that strict quarantine must be enforced when new varieties are being introduced, to ensure these diseases do not enter and jeopardize our industry. Collecting and quarantine takes about 2 years, while field evaluation can take a further 3-6 years before commercial release.
Table 1. Some South Pacific Banana Varieties - Classification and Synonyms
| Genome | Stover and Simmonds Classification | Australian Name | Tongan Name | Western Samoan Name | Cook Islands Name |
| AA | - | D1 | - | - | D1 |
| AAA | Gros Michel | Gros Michel | Siaine Fisi | Fa'i Fia Palagi | - |
| Dwarf Cavendish | Dwarf Cavendish | Siaine Tonga | - | Amoa Taunga Potopoto | |
| Giant Cavendish | Williams | Siaine Ha'amoa | Fa'i Palagi | Amoa Taunga | |
| Pisang Masak Hijau | Lacatan | - | Fa'i Palagi | Amoa Kauare | |
| Red | Red Dacca | Misi Peka | Fa'i Niue | Meika Initia | |
| Green Red | Green Dacca | Unnamed | - | Unnamed | |
| - | - | - | Fa'i Kurnakuma | - | |
| AAAA | - | TU8 | - | - | T8 |
| AAB | Silk | Sugar | - | - | Tiki |
| Pome | Lady Finger | Unnamed | Fa'i Fia Misi Luki | Mario | |
| Pome | Santa Catarina Prata | - | - | Ice Cream | |
| Mysore | Mysore | Patele | Fa'i Misi Luki | - | |
| - | - | - | - | Meika Initia | |
| Plantain | Horn Plantain | Hopa Fie Siaine | - | Tarapuatouro | |
| Plantain | French Plantain | - | - | Tarapuakanio | |
| - | Laknau | Hopa Fie Siaine | Nifopuvi | - | |
| Maia Maoli | Maia Maoli/Popoulu | Hopa (various) | Fa'i Samoa (various) | Mangaro (various) | |
| - | Iholena | Mamae | Fa'i Mamae | - | |
| ABB | Bluggoe | Bluggoe | Pata Tonga | Fa'i Pata Samoa | Tarua Matie |
| Bluggoe | Silver Bluggoe | - | - | Tarua Teatea | |
| - | Blue Java | Pata Hina | Fa'i Pata Sina | Tarua Teatea | |
| ABBB | - | - | Palakiha | Fa'i Pata Tonga | Rekua |
| Wild Species | Musa acuminata ssp banksii | Musa acuminata ssp banksii | - | Fa'i Taemanu | - |
| Other | Fe'i | - | - | Fa'i Soa'a | Vei |
| * Stover, R.H. and Simmonds, N.W. (1987) "Bananas" Longman London. | |||||
DATE: November 1990
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