Abstract
Five cooking bananas cultivars from the USDA-ARS SHRS National Germplasm Repository in Miami, FL, were evaluated under local edaphic and environmental conditions. The number of pseudostems per mat, height at flowering, and cycling time were determined during the first fruiting cycle (we call this the mother crop), and bunch number and bunch weight were recorded. A productivity index (PIX), calculated as 100 mean bunch weight in kilograms/cycling time in days, was used to determine the productivity of the clones over time. In addition, the susceptibility of the clones to yellow Sigatoka, caused by Mycosphaerella musicola, was evaluated. Preliminary results demonstrated that all the clones have resistance/tolerance to yellow Sigatoka and should be recommended for production in areas that have problems with this disease. The clones 'Bom', 'Gipungusi', 'Pelipita', and 'Cacambou' produced moderate to high yields of good to excellent fruit, and are recommended for use in all areas with a dry tropical/subtropical climate and limestone soils.
