The paper at
Here's what happens if you don't remove pups does not mention what temperature the bananas were being grown in but does indicate that temperature has an influence on root elongation. Tropical conditions have warm weather 24 hours/day while many of the members of this forum are growing bananas in areas with cool nights. The paper also does not mention if the bananas were grown in sterile conditions.
Driving by a banana plantation next to a rice paddy without further exploration doesn't really reveal much. What are the soil conditions in the banana plantation? Rice paddies have borders which control water flow. Vigorous banana plants use great amounts of water and would reduce the amount of moisture in the soil. My farm has areas with a high water table because of my low elevation (lower than an adjacent river). Despite experiencing a serious drought, I have standing water in areas of some fields. The weather is cold (33F this morning) and plant growth is minimal. In the summer, these same fields are dry because plant growth makes use of the water (along with increased evaporation). Temperature is a very important factor that needs to be considered before making broad generalizations.