An essential part in the concept of any emerging bioeconomy includes the sustainable use of biomass as a resource for industrial raw materials. Focusing on the increasing demand for natural fibers, it will be necessary to identify alternative sources without compromising food security. Here, untapped potential lies in the use of plantain residues. Yet, it is unclear how or whether this can be activated. This article investigates the current situation in Ghana as a major plantain producer in Africa. Based on data collected with participatory tools, expert interviews, and group discussions, we (i) assess predominant plantain production structures, (ii) derive a stakeholder network map identifying institutional challenges, and (iii) discuss the potential starting points for linking the supply side with the national or international fiber market. Results indicate that there is substantial interest of private enterprises for high quality fibers. Despite traditional knowledge, after fruit harvest the fiber rich plantain pseudostems usually remain in the field. From an institutional point of view, key stakeholders and structures exist that could boost the establishment of a sustainable plantain based fiber value web. Key to such an endeavor, however, would be to pilot activities, including technology transfer of suitable innovations from other countries.

Diet diversification and the exploitation of traditional, micronutrient-rich germplasm of staple crops are generally regarded as sustainable and low-cost approaches to increase the micronutrient intake of resource-poor people. Sun’s UV index was collected daily throughout the year. The study assessed the seasonality of provitamin A carotenoids in three plantain cultivars in response to climatic condition. Fruits were harvested at three maturities and freeze-dried before analysis. The results showed that there were high levels of the sun’s UV-B radiations throughout the year with the highest occurring from November to May when the area experienced clear skies with minimal cloud cover. These high levels of the sun’s UV-B index occurred between 9.00 h GMT and 17.00 h GMT. The study also showed that α-carotene content increased with maturity in “Apantu” during the rainy seasons ranging from 95 to 172 μg/100 g of dry pulp. Similar trends were observed during the dry season with a range of 28 to 489 μg/100 g. The α-carotene contents were very high in the periods of high sun’s UV-B radiations compared to the periods of low sun’s UV-B radiations. The α-carotene levels in the giant French plantains showed similar trends. Intermediate French “Oniaba” and False Horn “Apantu” plantain cultivar showed the highest content of β-carotene during the dry season. The high provitamin A carotenoid levels in the cultivars coincided with the high levels of the sun’s UV index.

A three-year field trial was conducted between 2014 and 2017 in the Ellembelle and Jomoro districts of the Western region of Ghana where rubber production is common to determine the optimum population density of plantain when grown in combination with immature rubber tree crops. The trials were arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design with 3 replications. The treatments were sole rubber, sole plantain, and three intercrops of one row of plantain in between two rows of rubber, two rows of plantain in between two rows of rubber, and three rows of plantain in between two rows of rubber. The rubber clone used was GT1 while the variety of plantain used was false horn. The results showed that population density of plantain had significant effect on the growth of the associated rubber. Growing plantain at closer spacing of 1.5m under the high-density plantain treatment significantly increased plantain yield compared to the other cropping systems. There was a significant positive relationship between population density of plantain and the rubber tree growth and development. The optimum population density of plantain when intercropped with rubber was 1,666/ha. The study showed intercropping was advantageous over sole cropping for both crops.

Plantain (Musa sp., genome AAB) is a major locally grown starchy staple food highly consumed by Ghanaians with a per capita consumption of 84.4 kg. However, the maturity index of the fruit has been dependent on various characteristics including angularity, fruit tip drying, etc. A physiological study was conducted on the fruit characteristics of Apantu at harvest to determine the appropriate maturity index to be used by smallholders. The results were subjected to correlative analysis and revealed a strong positive correlation between age at harvest and pulp to peel ratio. The number of leaves declined with age while pulp to peel ratio, bunch weight, peel weight and fruit weight showed positive correlation with age. The low correlations observed between the age at harvest and peel thickness, peel weight, density of fruit and pulp thickness makes them unreliable indices, possibly due to the difference in environmental conditions. Generally this is true since smallholders rely upon rainfed irrigation and physiological characteristics are greatly influenced by the watering component of the environmental. It is therefore recommended that farmers use bunch ages to determine harvest maturity. This could be done through tagging of plants at flower emergence due to the strong correlation it had with pulp:peel ratio. Further testing on each variety is needed to make tangible conclusions on some of the maturity indices to be adopted or must be backed with other variables. Key words: Musa, Apantu, physiology, postharvest, maturity indices.

Comparative Study on the Nutritional Composition of Two FHIA Tetraploids FHIA-21 (Tetraploid French Plantain) and FHIA-03 (Tetraploid Cooking Banana) in Ghana

Water deficit is one of the most important environmental factors affecting agricultural production especially in rainfed cropping systems. To understand how morphological and physiological factors interact, a study was conducted to assess the responses of leaf stomatal parameters to water status and its relationship with chlorophyll content in False Horn plantain. Each plant was grown in 120 kg soil in bowls and subjected to varying watering regimes (10 ml, 15 ml, 20 ml, 25 ml, 30 ml and control) without allowing natural rain into the bowls except the control. The result showed that False Horn plantain was sensitive to soil moisture stress; and this was reflected in changes in reduced growth through reduced plant height. The study also showed a systematic growth of the leaf with time. The patterns of leaf length growth remain similar under the different watering regimes. There was a significant difference in the leaf growth between the control and the varying amount of watering. The undulating pattern, however, showed that other factors could influence the leaf length. The large leaf area used for transpiration in Apantu is likely to be affected by soil water deficit. There was no correlation, however, between the leaf length to width ratio and the soil moisture content. The study further revealed that leaf length and width in False Horn plantain increases with growth, however, leaf sizes started to reduce when the plant approaches the flower primordial stage of growth. Watering regime influenced stomatal opening and closure in False Horn plantain and chlorophyll content. Leaf chlorophyll content was not highly influenced by the varying watering regimes; indicating that the presence of laticifer cells may be a factor for water stress tolerance in plantain.