Bananas.org - View Single Post - Is the pollen of Saba/cardaba is good for....?

Gabe15 · 10-02-2007, 08:25 PM

Musa 'Saba' is a triploid edible banana (belonging to group ABB) and thus does not produce any viable pollen. It is one of the few that may be pollinated by with diploid pollen (mainly some wild species) and it may set seed, but it may be entirely viable.

One limiting factor in any pollination effort is that banana pollen generally will stay viable for only a few days in the refridgerator. For the best results, a direct pollen transfer is needed, preferable done in the morning before noon when the female flowers are open (or even slightly before as I have experimented with).

Your best chance to get seed set on your M. sikkimensis is to try and pollinate the last hand of female flowers with the first hand of male flowers on the same bunch if you have no other M. sikkimensis flowering.

10-02-2007, 08:25 PM	#2 (permalink)
Gabe15 Moderator Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Oahu, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 12 Name: Gabe Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,892 BananaBucks : 13,377,065 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,243 Times in 2,200 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: Is the pollen of Saba/cardaba is good for....? Musa 'Saba' is a triploid edible banana (belonging to group ABB) and thus does not produce any viable pollen. It is one of the few that may be pollinated by with diploid pollen (mainly some wild species) and it may set seed, but it may be entirely viable. One limiting factor in any pollination effort is that banana pollen generally will stay viable for only a few days in the refridgerator. For the best results, a direct pollen transfer is needed, preferable done in the morning before noon when the female flowers are open (or even slightly before as I have experimented with). Your best chance to get seed set on your M. sikkimensis is to try and pollinate the last hand of female flowers with the first hand of male flowers on the same bunch if you have no other M. sikkimensis flowering. __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.