Behaviour of five banana cultivars in their first cropping cycle under permanent cover of tree species, legumes and non-legumes, and fruit trees in Kinshasa, DRC

Abstract

To improve banana production in Kinshasa, an evaluative study of sylvo-banana systems was carried out under the conditions
of the Batéké plateau. The aim was to compare different banana associations with tree species, with a view to determining
their impact on banana productivity. Five banana cultivars were combined with twelve tree species, divided into three groups:
leguminous forest trees, non-leguminous forest trees and fruit trees. The banana plants evolved under the cover of these
agroforests and their behavior was systematically evaluated during their first production cycle. Of all the banana cultivars
studied, cultivar Nsikumuna was the most productive (yield, bun weight, finger weight, etc.) in association with all forest
species; followed by cultivars Gros Michel (in association with Pterocarpus indicus Willd, Millettia laurentii and Inga edulis)
and Ndongila (in association with P. indicus Willd). However, the Bubi cultivar proved less productive in association with all
the forest species considered than all the other cultivars. This work is a tool that can contribute to the promotion of
agroforestry/sylvo-banana practices and technologies, which could be applied by banana growers operating in the south-west
zone of the country.