Banana

Banana potatoes are a late maturing yellow-fleshed variety, with many small banana shaped tubers. They have been grown in British Columbia for at least 90 years and are widely available as seed potatoes.

Banana_potatoes

Banana potatoes grown in 2012 for the Crop-Climate Project In Victoria, British Columbia

Banana_flower

The flowers of the banana potato plant are a pale pink.

GENERAL

Maturity: late

Skin colour: light yellow

Flesh colour: pale yellow

Tuber Shape: banana

Origin and Breeding: Grown in British Columbia for more than 90 years. Research suggests that the variety may have been introduced to early settlers and natives by Russian fur traders. The exact origin, parental lines or breeding techniques used to develop it are not known.

Year registered in Canada: 1990

AGRICULTURAL FEATURES

Yield: Low, high tuber set (15 to 20 small tubers per plant.)

Dormancy: Medium

Storability: Good

Utilization: Very good for boiling, baking and frying; excellent salad potato.

Environmental Stress:

DISEASE AND INSECT SUSCEPTIBILITY

Moderately resistant:

common scab

Moderately susceptible: verticillium wilt

Susceptible: late blight, leaf roll, PVX, PVY

NOTES:
SOURCES:

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/plants/potatoes/potato-varieties/banana/eng/1312587385647/1312587385648

CROP-CLIMATE PROJECT PERFORMANCE SUMMARY

2013

    • Banana was the highest yielding of five fingerling potatoes grown in Gananoque ON;  it was the second lowest yielding in Saanich, BC.
Yields (kg/plant) of 5 fingerling varieties grown under field conditions in Saanich, BC and Gananoque, Ont in 2013.

Yields (kg/plant) of 5 fingerling varieties grown under field conditions in Saanich, BC and Gananoque, Ont in 2013.

  • Banana growth and development was very similar to the standard Chieftain variety when grown in Saanich BC. It produced fruits in Saanich, but not in Gananoque. In Gananoque and Williams lake, the plants never fully died back; at both locations there were still green leaves when harvested in early October.
Growth and development of five varieties grown in Saanich, BC in 2013.

Growth and development of five varieties grown in Saanich, BC in 2013.

 

2012

  • Banana produced moderate yields at four locations, and appears to be adapted to a variety of growing conditions.
  • Under drought conditions in two locations, banana outproduced most other potatoes.
  • No significant disease or insect problems were reported.