Banana waste products
 

I can't help but iamgine there must be a whole lot of waste from banana-production. Stems, leaves, unuasble fruit, etc.

Is there any value in these plant-parts? I am thinking if the starch or sugar content is relatively high, it can be used in making bio-ethanol, paper, or organic fert? Anyone know more?

Erlend

Re: Banana waste products
 

Yep, a lot more than with rice, coffee, or wheat, ratio-wise.
I'm sure the big growers probably do something useful with it.
Good point, though... now you got me wondering.

Re: Banana waste products
 

I have read somewhere that the growers leave the leaves on the ground.
Probably this is food for the the new pups after fruiting.
It will also prevent the ground for drying out.

Ron

Re: Banana waste products
 

I usually do the same with my leaves, keeps the sun out and the moisture in. It puts nutrients back on the ground, too.
Also, when I'm walking around out there with no tools like pruners or a machete, I'll occasionally strip the downed leaves by hand and just leave a hanging stick, if that makes sense (I pull the blade off the midrib and toss it on the ground).

Re: Banana waste products
 

Some other good / similar threads on it
http://www.bananas.org/showthread.php?t=1174
http://www.bananas.org/showthread.php?t=1005
http://www.bananas.org/showthread.php?t=754
http://www.bananas.org/showthread.php?t=513
http://www.bananas.org/showthread.php?t=114
http://www.bananas.org/showthread.php?t=46

Re: Banana waste products
 

When I chop the leaves off in the Fall, I leaves them on the garden surface. I raked them off before I tilled this Spring, and will use them as mulch this year! Lots of Nitrogen going back into the soil.

Re: Banana waste products
 

I have a mound of banana leaves, stems, flowers, and misc plant debris that's often the size of a VW beetle. Right now it's has composted quite a bit, so it's about a half height vw beetle :exercisenaner:

Once the summer comes along with all the heavy rain and heat it will break down very nicely. The sabas have already thrown roots deep into the compost.

Re: Banana waste products
 

Well... I guess banana waste makes first grade mulch and compost. But considering the amount of banana-waste worldwide, isn't there something else we should be utilizing this product for than mulch? It seems kind of like "using tenderloin for meatballs"...The swedes are at it making methanol from trees, couldn't something similar be done with spent banana-plants?

Re: Banana waste products
 

It is very possible to do that vis cellulosic ethanol production...


http://www.harvestcleanenergy.org/en...ic_Ethanol.htm

Re: Banana waste products
 

An article about the republic Congo says,

The people use the leaves, stems and non-eaten bananas as food
for chickens, rabbits and pigs.
The manure from the animals is used to feed the bananas.

Ron

Re: Banana waste products
 

Thanks for the links Jeff and Ron. Both are interesting.

Re: Banana waste products
 

Using cellulosic biomass for ethanol production requires a lot more massive capital investments consumes more water and produces more wastewater than using gasifier technologies for converting cellulose to fuels.

Cost of production per unit gallon of fuel is three times much more with enthanolic fermentation of cellulosic biomass compared to gasifier.

Main problem with banana stalks is that it contains a lot of water, also a very costly process to remove water if you use them as suitable feedstocks to gasifiers.

The best usage I think is feed for hogs and other animals, or simply for biogas production.

Re: Banana waste products
 

On Kuaii, a guy at the Farmer's market made awesome baskets, hats, mats, flowers from fresh green banana leaves. I know that the Fujians make many things from them.

Any one know how to do it?? My basket is 18 yrs old and still in use and looks great.

Re: Banana waste products
 

I have a lot of photo albums ,journals ,and frames from Indonesia made with banana leaves / sheaths .