Banana project could bear fruit
Mass-produced bananas could soon be grown in New Zealand.
Bananas are one of the most popular fruits in New Zealand, but most of them come from overseas – about 18 kilograms per person are imported each year from Ecuador, the Philippines, Mexico, Panama and the United States. But lately bananas have been grown in Northland and Gisborne.
Now, Agresearch scientists from Palmerston North have been helping grow the plant from tissue cultures. Agresearch scientist Wajid Hussain said it took about 18 months for a banana plant to grow and produce fruit, but through his group’s research, it could take 12 to 16 weeks.
‘‘We could be in a position to create hundreds of thousands of plants in three months.’’
Hussain said banana tissue culture had never been thoroughly researched in New Zealand.
Agresearch staff have taken tissue culture from other banana plants and have been experimenting with growing new plants. ‘‘We started in September and in a short period of time starting from ground zero we have been successful.’’
Plants are only growing in the lab, but will be taken outside soon. The project is expected to take two to five years.
Hussain said Australia didn’t import bananas, while New Zealand imported 100 per cent, so he hopeds to take a share of that market. The first nine weeks of growing the new plants are slow, but the plants then grow fast.
Scientist Jane Mullaney said researchers needed to ensure they had the right variety of banana. Many plants in New Zealand have been divided, so no-one is sure of the exact breed. Each plant’s genetics will be identified by scientist Andrew Griffiths.
Being a New Zealand-grown banana could provide a point of difference, but Mullaney said they weren’t doing it to take away from banana companies. She said bananas could be grown in cooler climates, even if it was in a tunnel house.