Musa sikkimensis

Musa sikkimensis Latest News

Researchers at Nagaland University highlighted genetic richness of wild banana Musa sikkimensis for climate-resilient farming.

About Musa sikkimensis

• It is a wild banana species.
• It is native to the Eastern Himalayas and Northeast India.
• Other Names: It is commonly known as the ‘Darjeeling banana’ or ‘Sikkim banana’.

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Features of Musa sikkimensis

• It is a tall, evergreen perennial plant that belongs to the banana family.
• It has large, paddle-shaped leaves that can grow up to 10 feet (3 meters) long and 2 feet (60 cm) wide.
• The plant produces beautiful, pendulous flowers that are a deep maroon color and can grow up to 2 feet (60 cm) long.
• It is not widely cultivated for edible fruit, it plays a crucial role in strengthening crop resilience and ensuring sustainable production.
• Its germplasm exhibits strong adaptive potential across diverse environmental conditions.
• It is a wild-seeded species that serves as a crucial genetic reservoir.

Required Climatic Conditions for  Musa sikkimensis

• It prefers high humidity levels, around 50-60%. 
• It prefers warm temperatures between 20-30°C.
• It can tolerate cooler temperatures, but not below 10°C.
• Significance:  It possesses traits linked to disease resistance, environmental stress tolerance and climate adaptability, making it an invaluable resource for future banana breeding and crop improvement programmes.

Source: DD News