G9, also sold as Grand Naine, is a Cavendish (AAA) banana and the clone that underpins most commercial banana production in India. It is also the usual choice for tissue culture propagation.
Why growers choose it
- Semi-dwarf plant: commonly 2 to 2.75 m tall, more wind-firm than taller types.
- Large bunch: well-filled bunches, often in the 25 to 35 kg range under good management.
- Crop cycle: a relatively tight cycle, commonly around 11 to 13 months from planting.
- Shipping quality: fruit travels well, which suits market and export chains.
Why it suits tissue culture
Tissue culture gives uniform planting material, so plants emerge and flower together. It also lets propagators multiply a selected clump quickly, and starting from clean, indexed material helps avoid carrying sucker-borne disease into new blocks.
For propagators
Our G9 is supplied as an in-vitro culture, one multiplying clump per vessel, for people building hardened planting stock. Multiplication, rooting and hardening follow the stages described in the stages of tissue culture. For the hardening phase, see primary and secondary hardening of TC banana.
Is it worth the cost?
Read our analysis: TC banana for Indian farmers.
View the G9 culture or browse the full banana category.