Bananas.org - Bunch size

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Is the number of fingers in the first hand any indication of bunch size?

I haven't been able to tell on mine. Most have had around 10-15 fingers on the first hand but some end up with over 250 fingers total while others only 50-60.

I find that bunch size is a function of pseudostem diameter. Wider pseudostem = larger bunch.

Firstly its a function of variety, some varieties will naturally have more fingers per hand than others, as well as more hands per bunch. The first hand will often have slightly less fingers than subsequent hands as well. If the plants are not well maintained, then they will have small bunches and thus small hands too, but as Scot pointed out, you would be able to tell in advance how healthy the plant is by the size of the plant relative to its potential. I would say that if you grow enough bunches of the same variety in the same conditions, you might be able to find an indication of bunch size by looking at the first hand, but on a well managed plant, the bunches should be fairly consistent after the first generation.