The Bhutanese Leading the way.
According a Ministry of Agriculture and Forests report the National Seed Centre (NSC) has introduced tissue cultured Grand Naine (G-9) banana variety in 2015 June and July by importing it from India which was initially introduced from Israel.
After importing, the NSC started culturing the variety in laboratory and multiplied through tissue culture. The stocks were finally acclimatised and hardened in Bhur farm. Now, the NSC can offer its first batch of high and fine quality tissue culture banana plants for supply in 2016 June and July to farmers. Each bunch will be having 10 to 12 hands with 175 to 225 numbers of fruits.
The fruits of Grand Naine Banana variety are delicious to eat and the quality of the fruit is high compared to native varieties. It is recommended to plant 1200 plants per acre with spacing of six by six ft.
The Grand Naine is a high yielding Cavendish variety and is very popular. It grows to a height of 6.5 to 7.5 Feet. The plant bunches can be harvested within 12 to 13 months from the date of planting the tissue culture plants in the main field by adopting the improved horticultural practices like drip irrigation, fertilisers and manuring, integrated nutrient management and integrated pest and disease management.
