Climatic requirements and problems.

Abstract

Abstract This chapter describes the general climatic requirements of banana (Musa), showing that banana is primarily a crop of the humid tropical lowlands characterized by less than 10° latitude, less than 100 m altitude, not less than 19°C mean minimum temperature and more than 100 mm rain every month. Four distinct zones which differ widely in their climates but in which bananas are successfully grown commercially are described, i.e. the humid tropics (Guapiles, Costa Rica), hot, semi-arid tropics (Kununurra, Western Australia), warm, arid subtropics (Carnarvon, Western Australia) and cool subtropics (Kiepersol, South Africa). The effect of rainfall, or the lack of it, on physiological, pathological and management aspects of banana growing is discussed. Some problems in banana-growing regions outside the humid tropics due to hot and cold weather and other climatic problems (hail, wind, drought, flood and radiation and lightning) are described.