Sustainable Banana Research Articles

Naked-eye detection of Fe3+ and photothermal applications of flexible and sustainable banana pith stabilized silver nanoparticle-rice starch composite

Naked-eye detection of Fe3+ and photothermal applications of flexible and sustainable banana pith stabilized silver nanoparticle-rice starch composite

A novel in vitro shoot excision technique for enhancing proliferation in banana cv. Chini Champa

Micropropagation technology has been commercially exploited for mass multiplication of banana. Several parameters such as nutrient media, explants, culture conditions etc have been standardized. However, a novel in vitro shoot excision technique designed to enhance the proliferation rate of banana cv. Chini Champa has been examined for the first time. We meticulously examined the impact of excision angles (45º and 90º) and excision site (Tip, middle and base) during shoot proliferation stage. Our findings unequivocally demonstrate that employing a 45º angle excision and tip excision yield the highest multiplication rates and biomass accumulation, surpassing other excision angles and methods. The substantial enhancement in shoot numbers, growth and biomass underscores the potential of this technique for improving banana propagation protocols, offering a valuable tool for sustainable banana production.

Evaluation of Organic Solutions in Sustainable Banana (Musa balbisiana Colla) Agriculture as an Alternative to Glyphosate

Evaluation of Organic Solutions in Sustainable Banana (Musa balbisiana Colla) Agriculture as an Alternative to Glyphosate

Exploring the use of natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites in electronic circuit boards

Sustainable banana fiber has become potential alternative reinforcement materials instead of synthetic fibers for the development of the polymer composites. These natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites can be utilized for numerous applications. The current study aims to fabricate the epoxy/banana fiber composites under varying fraction of banana fibers. Compression molding process was employed to fabricate the composites since it is frequently used for production of large-scale composite parts like automotive components. Various weight percentages of banana fiber (50%, 60%, 70%, and 80% by weight) and epoxy (50%, 40%, 30%, and 20% by weight) were utilized for the development of the composites. Results revealed that the combination of the epoxy (40 wt. %)/banana fiber (60%) has the higher tensile strength of 22.67 MPa, flexural strength of 39.56 MPa, impact strength of 2.97 kJ/m2, and Barcol hardness of 35.24 among the various combinations of the epoxy and banana fiber composites. This work highlights the viability of sustainable materials within the materials engineering field, promoting the development of eco-friendly alternatives in composite fabrication.

A Sustainable Banana Peel Activated Carbon for Removing Pharmaceutical Pollutants from Different Waters: Production, Characterization, and Application.

Due to the growing concerns about pharmaceutical contamination and its devastating impact on the economy and the health of humans and the environment, developing efficient approaches for removing such contaminants has become essential. Adsorption is a cost-effective technique for removing pollutants. Thus, in this work, banana peels as agro-industrial waste were utilized for synthesizing activated carbon for removing pharmaceuticals, namely amoxicillin and carbamazepine from different water matrices. The chemically activated carbon by phosphoric acid (H3PO4) was carbonized at temperatures 350 °C, 450 °C and 550 °C. The material was characterized by several techniques such as scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Boehm titration, point of zero charge (pHPZC), BET surface area (SBET), the proximate and ultimate analyses, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and thermos-gravimetric analysis (TGA). The SEM of banana peel activated carbon (BPAC) depicted a semi-regular and heterogeneous morphology, characterized by an abundance of pores with diverse forms and sizes. Boehm titration revealed an increase in the amounts of acidic groups by 0.711 mmol/g due to activation by H3PO4. FTIR recorded different peaks suggesting significant modifications in the spectroscopic characteristics of the BPAC surface due to the successful activation and adsorption of the pollutant molecules. The pHpzc of BPAC was calculated to be 5.005. The SBET surface area dramatically increased to 911.59 m2/g after the activation. The optimum conditions were 25 °C, a materials dosage of 1.2 g/L, a saturation time of 120 min, a pollutants mixture of 25 mg/L, and a pH of 5. Langmuir exhibits a slightly better fit than Freundlich with a low value of the residual sum of squares (SSE) and the data were better fitted to the pseudo-second-order kinetic. Furthermore, the efficacy of BPAC in eliminating pharmaceuticals from Milli Q water, lake water, and wastewater was successfully investigated over the seven cycles. The results of the present work highlighted a potential usage of agro-industrial waste in eliminating organic micropollutants while exhibiting sustainable management of this waste.

Fostering sustainable banana cultivation: Maximizing red soil performance with lignin-based humic acid liquid fertilizer

A novel lignin-based humic acid liquid fertilizer (LHF) was prepared by supplementing traditional humic acid fertilizer with lignin. The impact of LHF treatments in two distinct red soils was assessed through examination of soil nutrient content, enzyme activity, microbial abundance, and banana biomass. Compared to the conventional composite liquid fertilizer (CF) treatment, LHF treatment improved soil nutrients, including ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, and organic matter. These improvements correlated with shifts in enzymatic activities and increases in microbial populations. The LHF treatments significantly promoted nutrient uptake in banana seedlings, and consequently, accelerated growth. This system allowed for precise determination of correlations between soil physicochemical properties and soil microorganisms, increasing our fundamental understanding of the impact of soil fertilization on microbial communities. The integration of lignin into liquid fertilizers represents a step forward in the research and development of high-efficiency fertilizers. Through the improvement of soil fertility and nutrient uptake, lignin application has the potential to significantly contribute to the advancement of sustainable agriculture.

Banana disease-suppressive soil drives Bacillus assembled to defense Fusarium wilt of banana.

Fusarium wilt of banana (FWB) caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4), poses a serious problem for sustainable banana production. Biological control is one of the effective measures to control this destructive disease. High-throughput sequencing of soil microorganisms could significantly improve the efficiency and accuracy of biocontrol strain screening. In this study, the soil microbial diversity of six main banana-producing areas in Yunnan was sequenced by Illumina Miseq platform. The outcome of this study showed the genus of Chujaibacter, Bacillus, and Sphingomonas were significantly enriched in microorganism community composition. Further correlation analysis with soil pathogen (Foc TR4) content showed that Bacillus was significantly negatively correlated with pathogen content. Therefore, we isolated and identified Bacillus from the disease-suppressive soils, and obtained a B. velezensis strain YN1910. In vitro and pot experiments showed that YN1910 had a significant control effect (78.43-81.76%) on banana Fusarium wilt and had a significant growth promotion effect on banana plants.

Demonstration of Improved Banana (William-1 Variety) Production and Commercialization in Nyanghtom District of South Omo Zone, Southern Ethiopia

A demonstration of improved banana production and commercialization was conducted in the Nyanghtom district of the South Omo Zone to enhance the livelihoods of pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in the area. One improved banana variety (Wiliyams-1) was used for the demonstration and planted on one hectare of land after training was given for purposively selected 25 trial pastoral agro-pastoral research and extension groups and 7 nontrial agro-pastorals from land preparation to harvesting. Relevant data through individual interviews and measurement of agronomic parameters were collected. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and Likert scale measurement of agro-pastoral preference. Based on the results, the mean banana fruit produced was 28.4 ton ha–1 under agro-pastoral management and also agro-pastoral preference indicated that the variety Wiliyam-1 was the first choice of agro pastorals in all parameters except drought resistance. Cost-benefit analysis results indicated that the average net income obtained from banana production was 209,647 Ethiopian Birr ha–1. The cost-benefit ratio of 2.95:1 indicated that the benefit of production was nearly three times higher than the cost of production. However, agro-pastoral raised the frequent breakdown of water pumps, lack of operation and maintenance skills, and the high cost of fuel to operate generators and tractors were major bottlenecks to sustaining production. Therefore, strong efforts of respective stakeholders are needed to resolve irrigation water access problems for sustainable banana production and commercialization to ensure food security and improve the livelihoods of women and agro-pastorals.

New Sustainable Banana Value Chain: Waste Valuation toward a Circular Bioeconomy

According to the needs of sustainability, a new sustainable banana chip value chain, which is a combination of the traditional banana chip value chain and the banana waste value chain, was designed. Scenarios were created assuming that an anaerobic digester would be implemented to produce biogas—which can act as a substitute for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) used in banana processing—from banana wastes. The values of banana residues throughout the value chain were determined depending on farm gate tree price, transportation cost, and the final value of LPG substitution. The value chain was optimized using two objective functions: total chain profit maximization and factory profit maximization. The tree price at the farm gate was determined and assumed to be between USD 0.067 and USD 0.093 per tree, and the transportation cost of tree transportation was assumed to be between USD 0.31 and USD 0.39 per km. Different tree prices and transportation costs affected the profits of all stakeholders throughout the chain. The scenarios that maximized total chain profits showed superior environmental performance compared to the scenarios that maximized factory profits. The proposed sustainable value chain will lead to an increase in farmers’ profits of 15.5–17.0%, while the profits gained by collectors and factory will increase between 3.5 and 8.9% when compared to business as usual.

Unlocking the Land Capability and Soil Suitability of Makuleke Farm for Sustainable Banana Production

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is experiencing an increase in food insecurity, which is fueled by both high population growth and low agricultural productivity. Smallholder farmers are seriously affected by low soil fertility, land degradation, and poor agronomic management practices that reduce crop productivity. Therefore, there is a huge need for reliable soil information to support agricultural decision-making in smallholder farms to ensure sustainable agricultural production. However, most studies focused on land capability and soil suitability do not consider the spatial variability of soils and their inherent properties. The main objectives of this study were (1) to survey, classify and characterise soils at Makuleke farm in order to derive and map the land capability classes and (2) to quantify the physical and chemical properties of the soils in order to derive and map the suitability classes. A field survey and classification of soils led by transect walks complemented by auger holes revealed existential spatial variation of soils across the 12 ha banana plantation. The dominating soil forms in the plantation were Hutton, Westleigh, Glenrosa and Valsrivier. Land capability analysis revealed that 17% of the 12 ha portion of the farm had very high arable potential, while 60% had medium arable potential, 6% of the farm had low arable potential and 17% was considered non-arable. Subsequent soil suitability analysis revealed that 12% of the farm is highly suitable, 34% is moderately suitable, 38% is marginally suitable and 16% is permanently not suitable for banana production. The variable capability of the land and suitability of soils for banana production led to notable yield gaps. The in-depth description and quantification of the productive capacity of the land is pivotal to the farmers at Makuleke farm as it unlocks their true potential and such information is crucial to effectively manage the soil and utilize the land for sustainable banana production.

The long road to a sustainable banana trade

Societal Impact StatementBananas are the world's most popular dessert fruit and a staple starch crop for millions in low‐ and middle‐income countries. The banana export trade that supplies North America, Europe, and other wealthy nations has a history fraught with exploitation and conflict. The price of cheap bananas has been environmental degradation, violence, and poverty. Only recently have efforts to address the power imbalances in this trade been made. Voluntary certification schemes aim to address multiple sustainability issues, while research into biological control, accelerated plant breeding, and efficient irrigation will help prepare the industry for emerging threats from pests, diseases, and climate change.SummaryBananas are the world's favorite dessert fruit, a staple starch crop for millions, and an important source of income for producers across the tropics and subtropics. Bananas evolved and diversified as giant perennial herbs of open habitats within the humid forests of Southeast Asia and West Oceania and were domesticated around 7000 years BP through a series of hybridization events. This review considers the journey from rainforest riversides to intensively managed monoculture plantations, focussing on the Cavendish banana that comprises nearly the entire global export trade. Climate change increasingly threatens economic sustainability in several major producer regions, requiring responses such as efficient irrigation systems to maintain productivity and water security. Pests and diseases are spreading globally and have severe direct impacts on production as well as indirect impacts via harm to ecological and human health caused by pesticides. New pest and disease management methods employing biological controls and enhancing soil health and new plant breeding techniques must be developed and implemented. The banana production and trade system has been characterized by power imbalances between international firms that own plantations and supply the market and the local agricultural workers who cultivate and harvest the fruit. Voluntary certification schemes have been developed to address the numerous environmental, social, and economic sustainability issues faced by the industry. There are indications, from research on biological disease control to new deals on wages and benefits for banana workers, that change is slowly coming to the global banana trade.

Is banana value chain in East Africa sustainable? Evidence from Ethiopia

Banana is an essential commercial fruit for smallholder farmers in East Africa including Ethiopia. It is also lifeblood of the majority of the farmers in Arba Minch district of Ethiopia. However, this sector is experiencing many constraints with limited investment on sustainable value chain management. Thus, this study aims to examine the sustainability performance assessment of the banana value chain by comparing and analyzing 25 attributes through triple bottom-line indicators. The critical aspects of the qualitative data were analyzed using Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture Systems version 3.0 at Ethiopian context. The results show that banana product flow from the farmer and ends with the consumer through three market channels which link farmers directly with rural retailers, traveling traders, and farmer cooperatives. Largest volume of banana was sold through the traveling trader channel while the smallest volume was sold via the rural retailer channels. The banana payment flow begins from consumers and ends with input suppliers. Farmers have limited access to alternative markets for their banana products, but wholesalers have many connections and marketing options across the country. The results of the banana value chain sustainability assessment also reveal that the economic, social, and environmental indicators have moderate sustainability performance in the study area. The value of the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.7993 which shows that the five-point scale items of the experts’ judgment on the sustainability of banana value chain are consistent and reliable. The chain has several advantages in terms of profitability, emission of air pollutants, employment, and constraints in terms of coordination, profit margin, value share, market diversity, transportation, product and market information, safety and hygiene, and waste management. Thus, Government and non-governmental organizations give due attention towards the sustainable banana value chain. • Ethiopia is one of major banana producing country in East Africa. • The banana product flow starts from producers and ends with consumers. • Farmers have limited access to alternative markets for their Banana products in Ethiopia. • Banana value chain has moderate sustainability performance in Ethiopia.

Understanding the Drivers of Adoption of Organic Banana Farming Technologies in Kajara County, South-western Uganda

This study aimed at identifying and characterising the major organic banana farming technologies used and assessing the drivers of adoption of the same in Kajara County. A total of 360 respondents were used to obtain primary data. As the study adopted a cross-sectional design, we used questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions, and field observations to collect the required data. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and the non-parametric (Chi-square) tests. Results indicate that the major organic banana farming technologies adopted in the study area were mulching, cover cropping, farmyard manure application, pest and weed management. The chi-square test revealed that the marital status, gender, and level of education of the farmers had significant positive effects on the adoption of organic banana farming technologies among the farmers. We concluded that, generally, the rate of adoption of organic farming technologies in Kajara County was low, and therefore, there is a need for emphasising the training of the farmers at local levels so as to equip them with information on the organic farming technologies for sustainable banana farming. We recommend that stakeholders who work on agricultural programs use model farmers in the area to educate and demonstrate the importance of organic banana farming technologies

Cost-effective banana (musa paradisiaca) waste management and the welfare of banana farmers in Kakamega county Kenya

Horticultural waste management is global war that must be won particularly in Kenya. Utilisation of banana waste can mitigate the dwindling welfare of banana farmers in Kakamega County. Unlike India’s preferred processing approach, on-farm management of banana waste was a cost-effective strategy compatible to Kenya given the Climate change and Covid-19 pandemics. Unfortunately, knowledge on fitting 7Rs denoted by reducing, rethinking, refusing, recycling, reusing, repairing and refilling strategy onto the banana waste generated; banana waste utilisation technologies; and challenges of on-farm banana waste management was scanty in Kakamega County. Therefore, this paper examined the influence of cost-effective banana waste management on the welfare of banana farmers in Kakamega County, Kenya. It particularly established the: on-farm and off-farm weight of banana waste; appropriate innovative on-farm banana waste utilisation; and on-farm banana waste management challenges experienced in Kakamega County, Kenya. Across sectional design was adopted. A purposive sample of 150 from 600 banana farmers with at least 100 banana plants was studied. Frequency tables and plates were used to analyse data Kakamega County. Primary data was complemented by Key informants and secondary sources. The results revealed that out of the 7Rs, reuse, reduce and refill (3Rs) facilitated banana waste management. The weights of peeled banana fruit and waste were 10.1% and 89.9% of the entire banana plant respectively. Banana waste was the driver of integrated organic innovative crop farming, animal husbandry and agro-forestry. Dogmatic beliefs and low agricultural innovation adoption rate hindered banana waste utilization. It is concluded that 7Rs minimized the quantity; enhanced utilization; and mitigated challenges of banana waste, culminating to the improved welfare of banana farmers. Adoption of optimal innovative cleaner banana production technologies to streamline the 7Rs was recommended to achieve sustainable banana waste management and improve livelihoods in Kenya.

Ciprofloxacin and acetaminophen sorption onto banana peel biochars: Environmental and process parameter influences

Environmental (pH, temperature ionic strength, cations, anions) and process (pyrolysis temperature, particle size, adsorbent dosage, initial concentration) parameters were evaluated for ciprofloxacin and acetaminophen sorption onto a series of sustainable banana peel biochars. Ciprofloxacin and acetaminophen were chosen as model pharmaceuticals for removal owing to their worldwide presence in aquatic systems. After pyrolytic preparation from 450 to 750 °C, the biochars were qualitatively and quantitatively characterized by physicochemical, morphological, mineralogical and elemental analyses. Batch sorption studies were employed to evaluate the pH effects from 2 to 10, biochar pyrolysis temperatures (450, 550, 650, and 750 °C), particle sizes (30–50, 50–100, 100–150 BSS mesh), adsorbent dosages (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 g/L), adsorbate concentrations (0.5–200 ppm) and uptake temperatures (10, 25, 40 °C) on sorption efficiency. Maximum pharmaceutical sorption is achieved by the biochar prepared at 750 °C. Sorption rate increased with decrease in biochar particle size from 30 to 50 to 100–150 BSS mesh. Relationships between biochar properties and their sorptive potential showed positive correlations with surface area, total pore volume, %C, %ash and C/N molar ratios. Sorption data was modelled using different isotherm models and both kinetic and thermodynamic equations. Maximum Langmuir capacities of ciprofloxacin and acetaminophen on BPBC750 were 23.3 and 40.8 mg/g at 10 °C; 21.0 and 49.93 mg/g at 25 °C and 20.42 and 57.3 mg/g at 45 °C, respectively. Langmuir isotherm fittings and thermodynamic parameters confirmed the exothermic sorption (for ciprofloxacin) and endothermic sorption (for acetaminophen). The role of ionic strength, cations and anions on pharmaceuticals sorption were evaluated. H-bonding, π-π-interactions and pore diffusion were major contributors to pharmaceutical sorption.

Adoption of Sustainable Agriculture Practices in Banana Farm Production: A Study from the Sindh Region of Pakistan.

The aim of this study was to highlight the importance of socioeconomic and psychosocial factors in the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) in banana farm production. To this end, data from 300 randomly selected farm households from Pakistan were collected through a structured self-report questionnaire. Using logistic regression (LR) and structural equation modeling (SEM), socioeconomic and psychosocial effects were evaluated. The results show that economic status, watching agricultural training programs, newspaper and radio awareness campaigns, participation in extension programs, perceptions of sustainable agriculture and the feasibility of SAPs were significant factors in farmers’ adoption of sustainable agriculture practices. Also, consistent with the theory of planned behavior (TPB), all its dimensions (attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control) affected the adoption of SAPs. This finding highlights the importance of socioeconomic and psychosocial factors in promoting sustainable agricultural practice among banana production farmers. This is the first study which attempts to provide empirical evidence using a robust procedure (two models—LR and SEM). The practical implication is that, when socioeconomic and psychosocial factors are well supported by satisfactory policy measures, SAP adoption is more than likely, which eventually increases farmers’ adaptive capacity to the changing environment. Ultimately, this leads to sustainable banana production, which has great potential to contribute towards poverty eradication.

Management strategies for banana Xanthomonas wilt in Rwanda include mixing indigenous and improved cultivars

Xanthomonas wilt is a major constraint to banana production in the East and Central Africa. The disease can cause up to 100% yield losses if proper management strategies are not well implemented. Understanding of disease status, driving factors and farmers’ knowledge provide insights towards a sustainable management approach. A total of 120 and 150 banana farms from eight and ten districts of Rwanda were surveyed for disease occurrence in 2015 and 2016 respectively. The owners of the farms were interviewed about disease knowledge, management practices, and source of information in these aspects. The results show that Xanthomonas wilt was present in all surveyed districts with high incidence (above 45% in both 2015 and 2016) in major banana growing areas, highlighting the risk of increasing yield losses. High Xanthomonas wilt incidence and severity was associated with Impara and Eastern plateau agro-ecological zones, intercropping systems, brewing bananas, dense spacing, and homogenous cultivars. Here, we demonstrate for the first time the gravity of Xanthomonas wilt in major banana growing areas of Rwanda. This agrees with the finding that proper implementation of management practices by the farmers remains limited. Disease management difficulties could be attributed to inaccessibility to the right information since some information sources may be unreliable. We also report for the first time that fields with a mixture of indigenous and improved cultivars are likely to have low Xanthomonas wilt disease severity (p < 0.005), and this could be considered in banana Xanthomonas wilt management package. Our findings are essential to understand the urgency of improving extension services with updated practices and reinforcing disease monitoring efforts in order to stop new infections and further spread of the Xanthomonas wilt disease, a threat to sustainable banana production in Rwanda.

Development of a hydrolysis probe-based real-time assay for the detection of tropical strains of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense race 4.

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) is one of the most important threats to global banana production. Strategies to control the pathogen are lacking, with plant resistance offering the only long-term solution, if sources of resistance are available. Prevention of introduction of Foc into disease-free areas thus remains a key strategy to continue sustainable banana production. In recent years, strains of Foc affecting Cavendish bananas have destroyed plantations in a number of countries in Asia and in the Middle East, and one African country. One vegetative compatibility group (VCG), 01213/16, is considered the major threat to bananas in tropical and subtropical climatic conditions. However, other genetically related VCGs, such as 0121, may potentially jeopardize banana cultures if they were introduced into disease-free areas. To prevent the introduction of these VCGs into disease-free Cavendish banana-growing countries, a real-time PCR test was developed to accurately detect both VCGs. A previously described putative virulence gene was used to develop a specific combination of hydrolysis probe/primers for the detection of tropical Foc race 4 strains. The real-time PCR parameters were optimized by following a statistical approach relying on orthogonal arrays and the Taguchi method in an attempt to enhance sensitivity and ensure high specificity of the assay. This study also assessed critical performance criteria, such as repeatability, reproducibility, robustness, and specificity, with a large including set of 136 F. oxysporum isolates, including 73 Foc pathogenic strains representing 24 VCGs. The validation data demonstrated that the new assay could be used for regulatory testing applications on banana plant material and can contribute to preventing the introduction and spread of Foc strains affecting Cavendish bananas in the tropics.

Molecular and cytological characterization of the global Musa germplasm collection provides insights into the treasure of banana diversity

Bananas (Musa spp.) are one of the main fruit crops grown worldwide. With the annual production reaching 144 million tons, their production represents an important contribution to the economies of many countries in Asia, Africa, Latin-America and Pacific Islands. Most importantly, bananas are a staple food for millions of people living in the tropics. Unfortunately, sustainable banana production is endangered by various diseases and pests, and the breeding for resistant cultivars relies on a far too small base of genetic variation. Greater diversity needs to be incorporated in breeding, especially of wild species. Such work requires a large and thoroughly characterized germplasm collection, which also is a safe depository of genetic diversity. The largest ex situ Musa germplasm collection is kept at the International Transit Centre (ITC) in Leuven (Belgium) and currently comprises over 1500 accessions. This report summarizes the results of systematic cytological and molecular characterization of the Musa ITC collection. By December 2015, 630 accessions have been genotyped. The SSR markers confirmed the previous morphological based classification for 84% of ITC accessions analyzed. The remaining 16% of the genotyped entries may need field verification by taxonomist to decide if the unexpected classification by SSR genotyping was correct. The ploidy level estimation complements the molecular data. The genotyping continues for the entire ITC collection, including newly introduced accessions, to assure that the genotype of each accession is known in the largest global Musa gene bank.

Ex-ante sustainability assessment of cleaner banana production systems

As one of the largest users of pesticides in the world, banana production is responsible for numerous types of pollution affecting water, soil and air and causing a variety of health issues. Agroecological innovations can help to reduce pesticide use and achieve cleaner and more sustainable banana production systems. Innovations must be well suited to the diversity of banana farms and acceptable to the stakeholders involved in production. We tested the impact of 18 agroecological innovations in Guadeloupe on the sustainability of three contrasted production systems, using the multi-criteria assessment model MASC. These innovations included different types of fallow (A), bans on pesticides (B), conditional applications of pesticides (C), intercropping (D), resistant cultivars (E), and integrated systems (F). In the assessment, we introduced the views of 29 stakeholders involved in sustainability issues relative to banana grouped through three sets of weightings, obtained by direct weighting of the indicators used in a multi-criteria assessment tool. We analysed the effects of each set of weightings on the sustainability level for these different banana production systems. Our results showed that the adoption of innovations can have negative, positive or no effects on the overall sustainability of banana production systems. Although none of the innovations had a positive effect on all cropping systems, some innovations were relevant to several farm types. However, this depended on the sets of weightings considered, because we found several types of stakeholder with opposing views on the importance of sustainability components. Integrated and organic systems produced the best results in terms of increasing sustainability and were relevant to current farming systems. However, in order to obtain cleaner banana production at the landscape scale, a combination of these innovations, tailored to the diversity of farmers' situations and stakeholder preferences, still needs to be proposed.