A 4.2-meter infructescence (fruit bunch) was recorded in a wild banana species, Musa indandamanensis, from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, marking the longest ever recorded.
This species was first discovered in 2012 near Krishna Nala reserve forest and was mentioned in a science journal in 2014.
The previous longest infructescence for this species was about 3 meters. Cultivable banana species usually have infructescences around 1 meter long.
The latest discovery was made in Campbell Bay, Nicobar Islands, where the infructescence was longer than previous ones.
The species is endemic to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and has been recognized as "Critically Endangered."
Trees of this species stand at about 11 meters tall, with variations in girth; trees from Little Andaman had a girth of 100 cm, while those from Campbell Bay had 110 cm.
To conserve the species, saplings have been planted in various botanical gardens across India.
Musa indandamanensis is valuable for plant breeders as a genetic resource for developing high-yielding, disease-resistant banana varieties.
COMMENTS