Kenneth Shepherd - A Survey Of Major Banana Cultivars - 1970
A number of mutants have been recorded but
the only important one is dwarfing, giving the
'Highgate' clone of Jamaica and the 'Cocos' of
Central America, which may be identical. Height
is reduced to about two-thirds, leaves are shorter
—but the fruits are shorter too, although more
numerous. 'Cocos' had a brief period of promi
nence in Central America about ten years ago.
'Highgate' is a valuable breeding stock.
In the late 1950's, ': Dwarf Cavendish' is said
by Simmonds to have accounted for 26 per cent
of total exports, second in importance after
'Gros Michel' but declining in Australia at least,
in favour of 'Giant Cavendish'. Its merit is an
apparent tolerance of cool growing conditions,
its drawback shorter fruits which project from
the bunch to invite damage in transit, a lesser
problem nowadays when fruit tends to be carried
in boxes as hands, clusters or even single fruits.
'Giant Cavendish' has these faults to a lesser
degree.
It may still be some years, perhaps a decade
even, before a tetraploid cultivar will enter the
trade. We now have rather good cultivars, with
resistance to Panama disease and to Sigatoka
Leaf Spot, but problems remain. The tetraploids
take longer to mature a bunch than the Caven
dish sub-group and the ripe fruits may not be
as acceptable on a competitive consumer market,
because they are generally softer in texture and
less sweet.