[en] In order to generate basic knowledge for development of precision agriculture and to improve response to the needs of generate more information spatial and temporal level, was used the reflectance spectrum of banana leaf samples ground and sieved. The chemometric calibration was performed by PLSR (Partial Least Square Regression), with different pre-treatments spectrum (spectrum crude transformations MSC (Multiplicative Scatter Correction), SNV (Standard Normal Variate), Savitzky and Golay with first and second derivative transformation Log 1 / R, and DOSC (Direct Orthogonal Signal Correction). The calibration was between the leaf tissue concentration of 11 nutrients and the reflectance of the same sample, finding that in all cases the best DOSC pre-treatment was that allowed to build calibration models with errors similar to the reference methods with a low number of latent variables and settings above 80% which is sufficient to suggest this methodology as a practical alternative, economically viable, accurate and quick, the traditional chemical leaf tissue analysis.

[en] Efforts to improve banana in the Sudan started effectively with three IAEA mutation breeding projects. The most common banana cultivar is 'Dwarf Cavendish', which covers almost 95% of the area under banana production. This cultivar is considered as the most adapted banana cultivar to different climatic conditions, but it is prone to 'choke throat' and has low yield potential. Banana cv. 'Williams' was irradiated at the IAEA/FAO laboratories, Seibersdorf, Austria. Based on preliminary evaluation of the material, 5 mutants (i.e. W193-3, W188-3, W205-4, W206-1 and W224-4) were selected as single plants and propagated by tissue culture. Multi-location testing was carried out for these mutants with cvs. 'Dwarf Cavendish' and 'Williams as standard cultivars in a randomized complete block design with 4 replications and 25 plants per replication. Spacing was 2 x 2 m (2500 plant per ha) and one sucker was retained. The bunch weight and cumulative yield of clone 193-3 were significantly higher than all banana genotypes. The high yield of clone W193-3 in the plant crop was due to the significantly higher number of hands per bunch and larger fingers. The plant height at shooting and pseudostem girth were significantly higher in clone W193-3. The stability parameters for bunch weight of the different clones showed that clone W193-3 was stable with high yield in all environments. Clone W193-3 was released as a new banana cultivar for farmers under the names 'Albeely'. (author)

[en] In Brazil, although it is qualified as a major world producers, however, the production losses are high. Nevertheless, these losses can be reduced by processing the fruit 'unsuitable' for consumption into products based on green banana (pulp, rind and flour). The green banana flour shows enhanced nutrition value, with higher contents of mineral, dietary fiber, resistant starch, and total phenolics, for use in Brazilian irradiated ready - to eat foods, such as bread, macaroni, among others. Food irradiation has been identified as safe technology to reduce risk of foodborne illness as part of high-quality food production, processing, handling and preparation. Food irradiation utilizes a source of ionizing energy that passes through food to destroy harmful bacteria and other organisms. Often referred to as 'cold pasteurization', food irradiation offers negligible loss of nutrients or sensory qualities in food as it does not substantially raise the temperature of the food during processing. The object of this work was to determine the effect of gamma irradiation on microbiological analyses of the: the number of mesophiles, total coliforms at 35 deg C, coliforms at 45 deg C, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp of the green banana flour, commercially found in the Brazilian market. The microbiological analyses were carried out in conformity with the methodologies described at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, according to the current legislation. Irradiation was performed in a ⁶⁰Co Gammacell 220 (AECL) source, with dose of 3kGy at IPEN/CNEN-SP. In samples of Brazilian green banana flour, irradiated at 3 kGy, the growth of all microorganisms (mesophiles, total coliforms at 35 deg C, coliform at 45 deg C and Staphylococcus coagulase positive) were reduced. As a result, the application of the irradiation technique may be recommended to enhance the food safety. (author)

[en] This study aimed to characterize the fibers of cavendish and silver banana trunks (Musa sepientum and Musa balbisiana, respectively) concerning their density, lignin and moisture contents, and chemical structure by using the techniques of infrared spectroscopy and low field solid state nuclear magnetic resonance, NMR. From NMR analysis, it was possible to observe the morphological differences between cavendish and silver types of banana fibers. FTIR technique did not allow the observation of any important difference in the banana fibers spectra. The cavendish banana fiber showed higher moisture and lignin contents than the silver banana fiber The NMR technique showed that relaxation times for silver banana fiber were higher than those for cavendish banana fiber, which can be credited to the lower moisture content values found in the silver fibers. (author)

No abstract available

[en] Bananas are one of the main commodities and the second most widely grown fruit in Malaysia. Among the popular banana cultivars is the Horn Banana. However, banana cultivation is becoming less efficient as a result of the threat of biotic and abiotic effects such as disease attacks, climate change and soil infertility. Therefore, efforts to produce new varieties that are more resistant to this threat need to be made. The development of this new variety can be done through in-vitro radiation mutagenesis techniques. To that end, radiation sensitivity tests were first performed to obtain LD 50 values (acute gamma irradiation dose that caused 50 % of explant death) and optimum dose values of acute gamma irradiation for banana horn in-vitro meristem tissue. The test involved irradiation of banana horn meristem explants with acute gamma radiation at 8 different irradiation doses namely 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 60, 80 and 100 Gy. Radiation sensitivity test data obtained as well as the life percentage data of irradiated explants were recorded. From these data, a graph representing Radiation Dose versus Percentage of Live Explanates was plotted to determine the value of LD 50. Based on the graph, the value of LD 50 was found at a dose of 50 Gy. Whereas the optimum dose values of acute gamma irradiation for in-vitro meristem tissue of banana horn were determined at 40, 50 and 60 Gy. The results of this study can be used as a reference and standard operating manual for an upcoming in-vitro banana horn meristem tissue mutagenesis project and can assist in the production of new banana horn varieties that are more resistant to the threat of biotic and abiotic effects. (author)

[en] The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of banana trunk as an adsorbent in removal of heavy metals in aqueous solution. Functional groups of adsorbent were determined using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Batch experiments were conducted to determine the adsorption percentage of heavy metals (Cu, As, Pb and Zn). The optimum adsorption using banana trunk was based on pH difference, contact time and dosage. Adsorption percentage was found to be proportional to pH, contact time and dosage. Maximum adsorption percentage of Cu, As, Pb and Zn at pH 6, 100 minutes and 8 gram of dosage are 95.80 %, 75.40 %, 99.36 % and 97.24 %, respectively. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were used to determine the equilibrium state for heavy metals ion adsorption experiments. All equilibrium heavy metals were well explained by the Freundlich isotherm model with R"2= 0.9441, R"2= 0.8671, R"2= 0.9489 and R"2= 0.9375 for Cu, As, Pb and Zn respectively. It is concluded that banana trunk has considerable potential for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solution. (author)

[en] It was determined the performance of FHIA-20 and FHIA-23 to both Mycosphaerella fijiensis and M. musicola. The study was conducted in a screen house at the Montelindos farm of the University of Caldas, at 1010 most, average temperature 22.8 Celsius degrade, annual precipitation 2200 mm, and relative humidity 76%. Conidia of Paracercospora fijiensis and Pseudocercospora musae, and mixture of both, were inoculated to seedlings having between 4 and 6 leaves. It was evaluated incubation period (IP) of both pathogens, times of evolution of symptoms (TES) and disease development (TDD), also, lesions per leaf (NLL). In FHIA-20, P. musae, P. fijiensis and P. musae+P. fijiensis, had a longer IP than in Dominico Harton, being 3, 20 and 10 days longer, respectively; in addition, the TES of yellow and black sigatokas and the combination of both diseases, was more prolonged in FHIA-20, in 5, 49 and 26 days, respectively, than in local material. In FHIA-23, P. musae, P. fijiensis and P. musae + P. fijiensis, had 2, 6 and 3 more days of IP, respectively, than in Gros Michel; furthermore, FHIA-23 had a TES of yellow and black sigatokas and the combination of both, higher than in Gros Michel, in 9, 16 and 11 days, respectively. In general, FHIA-23 behaved as highly resistant and tolerant to black and yellow sigatokas, respectively, and FHIA-23, resistant.

No abstract available

[en] This paper focused on pre-treated banana fibers as a trunk polymer for optimization of radiation-induced graft copolymerization process parameters. Pre-treated banana fiber was grafted with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) via electron beam irradiation. Optimization of grafting parameters in term of grafting yield was analyzed at numerous radiation dose, monomer concentration and reaction time. Grafting yield had been calculated gravimetrically against all the process parameters. The grafting yield at 40 kGy had increases from 14 % to 22.5 % at 1 h and 24 h of reaction time respectively. Grafting yield at 1 % of GMA was about 58 % and it increases to 187 % at 3 % GMA. The grafting of GMA onto pre-treated banana fibers confirmed with the characterization using FTIR, SEM and TGA. Grafting of GMA onto pre-treated fibers was successfully carried out and it was confirmed by the results obtained via the characterization. (author)