Banana Research Station, West Bengal, Chinsura.
1. Banana may be propagated from suckers, butts or rhizomes and bits of rhizomes. In West Bengal banana is mostly propagated from suckers. In view of the great demand for suckers of certain varieties in the State, the present investigation was undertaken to ascertain the value of butts and bits as planting materials.
2. Butts of fruited as well as non-fruited plants were planted whole, and cut into two and four equal bits, each possessing atleast one well-developed bud, in a replicated trial at Krishnagar in West Bengal.
3. Butts of fruited plants gave the best growth in the beginning, followed closely by the butts of non-fruited plants, the differences in growth ultimately becoming insignificant among all the treatments. There was no significant difference between "half bits" of fruited and non-fruited plants "Qrarter bits" of non-fruited plants were the slowest to grow.
4. Mafurity, yield and number of hands per bunch were not effected by the planting materials.
5. Results are discussed. It is concluded that butts and bits are equally good planting materials when quick multiplication of a variety is desired or long transit of suckers is a problem; too small bits, however, should be avoided under unfavourable conditions. These recommendations are likely to hold good for other long duration varieties such as Martaman, Champa, Kanthali, etc.
