Kolkata/Calcutta Banana?

TommyMacLuckie · 07-04-2010, 11:03 AM

A friend of mine swears that there is a banana plant called a Calcutta/Kolkata (he has yet to tell me how it's spelled) and that there's even been a book published that says this is the banana that is most common in New Orleans.

Which we all know that the most common banana in New Orleans and across the Gulf Coast is the Orinoco.

Anyone heard of this? I've NEVER heard it from anyone but him.

Gabe15 · 07-05-2010, 01:22 PM

There is an extremely common banana called 'Calcutta 4' which is a selection of M. acuminata subsp. burmannica (sometimes seen as subsp. burmannicoides specifically when referring to 'Calcutta 4'). It is heavily used in breeding programs but it is a wild species, not edible at all, and certainly not common in New Orleans or anywhere outside of germplasm collections and breeding programs. It is common in the sense that a lot of research projects also use it as a model variety for different genetic studies and as mentioned it has been and still is used extensively in breeding. Maybe there was a misunderstanding along the way with this plant.

TommyMacLuckie · 07-06-2010, 08:54 AM

Thanks for the response!

It's funny what people can get in their heads and how it can stay there forever because it's what you (they) learned first.

I'll ask him to find the book, if he can, that says what he has told me.

07-04-2010, 11:03 AM	#1 (permalink)
TommyMacLuckie Howboutcha! TommyMacLuckie's Photo Gallery Location: Mandeville, Louisiana Find me on the map! Zone: 8B Name: Tommy Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 427 BananaBucks : 253,561 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 7 Times Was Thanked 375 Times in 202 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Kolkata/Calcutta Banana? A friend of mine swears that there is a banana plant called a Calcutta/Kolkata (he has yet to tell me how it's spelled) and that there's even been a book published that says this is the banana that is most common in New Orleans. Which we all know that the most common banana in New Orleans and across the Gulf Coast is the Orinoco. Anyone heard of this? I've NEVER heard it from anyone but him.

07-05-2010, 01:22 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 : 13,504,497 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 8,246 Times in 2,201 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: Kolkata/Calcutta Banana? There is an extremely common banana called 'Calcutta 4' which is a selection of M. acuminata subsp. burmannica (sometimes seen as subsp. burmannicoides specifically when referring to 'Calcutta 4'). It is heavily used in breeding programs but it is a wild species, not edible at all, and certainly not common in New Orleans or anywhere outside of germplasm collections and breeding programs. It is common in the sense that a lot of research projects also use it as a model variety for different genetic studies and as mentioned it has been and still is used extensively in breeding. Maybe there was a misunderstanding along the way with this plant. __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

07-06-2010, 08:54 AM	#3 (permalink)
TommyMacLuckie Howboutcha! TommyMacLuckie's Photo Gallery Location: Mandeville, Louisiana Find me on the map! Zone: 8B Name: Tommy Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 427 BananaBucks : 253,561 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 7 Times Was Thanked 375 Times in 202 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Kolkata/Calcutta Banana? Thanks for the response! It's funny what people can get in their heads and how it can stay there forever because it's what you (they) learned first. I'll ask him to find the book, if he can, that says what he has told me.

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