Thai banana

{{Short description|Banana cultivar}}

{{Infobox cultivar

| name = Thai banana
(pisang awak)

| image = Chuối_xiêm.jpg

| image_caption = Unripe Thai banana in An Giang province, Vietnam

| hybrid = Musa acuminata × Musa balbisiana

| cultivar = Musa 'Pisang Awak'

| group = ABB Group

| origin = Thailand

}}

Thai banana (also called pisang awak) is a banana cultivar originating from Thailand,{{cite book|url=https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/60900500/images/TRC-Catalog-Web.pdf|title=MUSA TAXONOMIC REFERENCE COLLECTION|last=Ortiz|first=Amil|publisher=Agricultural Research Service - United States Department of Agriculture|year=2016|location=US|pages=105–108}} belonging to the triploid ABB banana cultivar group.{{Cite book |last1=Molina |first1=A. B. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lV4k4j85r2AC |title=Advancing Banana and Plantain R and D in Asia and the Pacific |last2=Roa |first2=V. N. |last3=Staff |first3=International Plant Genetic Resources Institute |publisher=Bioversity International |year=2000 |isbn=978-971-91751-3-1 |location=Italy |pages=59 |language=en}} This banana cultivar is one of the most important banana fruits in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Thai bananas contain many nutrients and are often eaten when ripe or prepared into many other dishes. Almost all parts of the Thai banana tree are used by humans.

Etymology

File:Buồng_chuối_xiêm_(2).jpg

Thai banana (or 'pisang awak') is also known in Australia as 'Ducasse'{{cite journal|last=Robert Williams|title=Australian banana industry: Status and R&D update|url=https://www.musalit.org/viewPdf.php?file=IN060544_eng.pdf&id=9864|journal=Advancing Banana and Plantain R&D in Asia and the Pacific|volume=13|pages=19–36|access-date=January 29, 2024}} and 'Kayinja' in Uganda.{{cite book|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263594460|title=Banana systems in the humid highlands of sub-Saharan Africa: enhancing resilience and productivity|last1=Rietveld|first1=A. M.|last2=Mpiira|first2=S.|last3=Jogo|first3=W.|last4=Staver|first4=C.|last5=Karamura|first5=E. B.|date=2013-07-29|publisher=CABI|isbn=978-1-78064-231-4|editor-last=Blomme|editor-first=G.|edition=1|location=UK|pages=191–201|language=en|chapter=The beer banana value chain in central Uganda.|doi=10.1079/9781780642314.0191|access-date=2024-01-29|editor-last2=Asten|editor-first2=P. van|editor-last3=Vanlauwe|editor-first3=B.}} The Malaysian name "pisang awak" is more commonly used among research institutions.{{cite web|url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/misc/mmpnd/Musa_Malay_names.html|title=Musa Malay Names|year=1999|publisher=Germplasm Resources Information Network|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528071016/http://www.ars-grin.gov/misc/mmpnd/Musa_Malay_names.html|archive-date=May 28, 2010|url-status=dead|access-date=June 29, 2011}}{{cite journal|last1=Wang|first1=Koon-Hui|last2=Angela K. Kepler|last3=Cerruti R.R. Hooks|date=2009|title=Brief Description of Banana Cultivars Available from the University of Hawaii Seed Program|url=https://docplayer.net/29547455-Brief-description-of-banana-cultivars-available-from-the-university-of-hawaii-seed-program.html|journal=College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources|publisher=University of Hawai'i at Manoa|pages=7|access-date=January 31, 2024|via=Docplayer|name-list-style=amp}} In Thailand, it is known as kluai nam wa ({{lang|th|กล้วยน้ำว้า}}, {{IPA|th|klûaj nám wáː|pron}}).{{cite journal |last1=Sanoppa|first1=Kanokchan|last2=Meesangket|first2=Supatsorn|last3=Aemchalee|first3=Widchayut|last4=Wongwan|first4=Panupong|date=2021|title=Effects of Supplementation with Pigment Powders from Monascus purpureus Fermented with Pisang Awak Banana (Musa sapientum Linn.) Replace Nitrite in Fermented Pork Sausage|script-title=th:ผลของการใช้ผงสีจาก Monascus purpureus หมักกับกล้วยน้ำว้าทดแทนไนไตรท์ในผลิตภัณฑ์แหนม|url=https://ojs.kmutnb.ac.th/index.php/kjournal/article/view/3470|language=th|volume=31|issue=1|pages=99–108|doi=10.14416/j.kmutnb.2020.08.001|issn=2985-2145|via=kmutnb|journal=The Journal of King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok|url-access=subscription}} The term nam wa has crossed over into the Khmer language where Thai banana is known in Cambodia as chek nam va ({{lang|km|ចេកណាំវ៉ា}}),{{cite web|url=https://www.information.gov.kh/articles/15463|title=ចេកណាំវ៉ា ជាដំណាំពេញនិយមរបស់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋរស់នៅខេត្តព្រះវិហារ និងជួយបង្កើនប្រាក់ចំណូលបានយ៉ាងច្រើនផងដែរ|last=ទិត ស្រ៊|date=2020-08-25|website=information.gov.kh|publisher=ក្រសួងព័ត៌មាន (Cambodian Ministry of Information)|language=km|access-date=2024-01-30}} but is known in the Khmer-speaking Thai province of Surin as chek sâ ({{lang|km|ចេកស}}) or white banana.Teel, Stephen, Northern Khmer-Thai-English Dictionary, typescript, Surin, July 1988, Vol. I (ก-บ), p. 172. This banana variety has multiple romanizations including 'Namwah Tall' (with a superfluous 'h'). In Vietnam, it is called as {{lang|vi|chuối sứ}} or {{lang|vi|chuối xiêm}} ("Siamese banana", means 'Thailand banana'). In Philippines, it is commonly called lagkitan in the Southern Tagalog region or botolan in the Palawan region.{{cite magazine|last1=Dizon|first1=Teodora|last2=Pinili|first2=Marita|last3=Cruz|first3=Filipe dela|last4=Damasco|first4=Olivia|last5=Bergh|first5=Inge Van den|last6=Waele|first6=Dirk De|date=2010-04-01|title=Response of Philippine banana (Musa spp,) cultivars to radopholus similis (Thorne) and meloidogyne incognita chitwood under greenhouse conditions|url=https://www.biw.kuleuven.be/biosyst/cropbiotechnics/tropical/documenten/publications/publications-2010/2010-i/philippjcropsci-2010-35-p36-51.pdf|volume=35|issue=1|pages=39|magazine=Philippine Journal of Crop Science}}

As a stout mutation, 'Dwarf Pisang Awak' is known in America as Musa 'Dwarf Namwah' as popularized by Agri-Starts Inc;{{cite web|url=https://www.agristarts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/64/index.htm|title=Musa 'Dwarf Namwa'|website=agristarts.com|publisher=Agri-Starts, Inc.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925114034/https://www.agristarts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/64/index.htm|archive-date=September 25, 2022|access-date=January 31, 2024}} and in Thai language as kluai nam wa khom ({{lang|th|กล้วยน้ำว้าค่อม}}).

Description

Thai banana plant grows up to {{Convert|3|-|5|m|abbr=on}} in height. It is known to produce seed with the availability of fertile pollen.{{cite magazine|last1=Nelson|first1=Scot|last2=Ploetz|first2=Randy|last3=Kepler|first3=Angela Kay|date=2006|title=Musa species (banana and plantain)|url=https://www.agroforestry.net/images/pdfs/Musa-banana-plantain.pdf|pages=7|via=ResearchGate|magazine=Species Profiles for Pacific Island Agroforestry}}

Taxonomy

Thai banana is originated from Thailand, a cross between Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. Most sources affirm that Thai banana belongs to the triploid ABB genome group.{{cite web|url=http://r12.ldd.go.th/pikunthong/แผ่นพับ/แปลงรวบรวมพันธุ์กล้วยพื้นเมืองภาคใต้เพื่อการเรียนรู้.pdf|title=แปลงรวบรวมพันธุ์กล้วยพื้นเมืองภาคใต้เพื่อการเรียนรู้|website=r12.ldd.go.th|publisher=ศูนย์ศึกษา การพัฒนาพิกุลทองฯ (Phikunthong Development Study Center)|language=th|access-date=January 31, 2024}}{{cite journal|last1=Wang|first1=Xiaoyi|last2=Wang|first2=Anbang|last3=Li|first3=Yujia|last4=Xu|first4=Yi|last5=Wei|first5=Qing|last6=Wang|first6=Jiashui|last7=Lin|first7=Fei|last8=Gong|first8=Deyong|last9=Liu|first9=Fei|date=2021|title=A Novel Banana Mutant "RF 1" (Musa spp. ABB, Pisang Awak Subgroup) for Improved Agronomic Traits and Enhanced Cold Tolerance and Disease Resistance|volume=12|pages=730718|doi=10.3389/fpls.2021.730718|issn=1664-462X|pmc=8496975|pmid=34630479|journal=Frontiers in Plant Science|doi-access=free }}{{cite web|url=https://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/Sorting/Musa-cvs.html|title=Sorting Musa cultivars|last=Porcher|first=Michel|date=27 March 2011|website=plantnames.unimelb.edu.au|publisher=The University of Melbourne|access-date=18 March 2024}} But there is source still thought that this cultivar belongs to the tetraploid AABB genome group?{{cite journal|last1=M. Pillay|last2=E. Ogundiwin|last3=A. Tenkouano|last4=J. Dolezel|year=2006|title=Ploidy and genome composition of Musa germplasm at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/27797509|journal=African Journal of Biotechnology|volume=5|issue=13|pages=1230|issn=1684-5315|access-date=January 29, 2024|name-list-style=amp}} Its official designation is Musa (ABB Group) 'Pisang Awak'. Synonyms include: Musa paradisiaca var. awak.{{cite magazine|last1=Chong|first1=L.|last2=Aziah|first2=A. N.|date=2008|title=Influence of Partial Substitution of Wheat Flour with Banana (Musa paradisiaca var. Awak) Flour on the Physico - Chemical and Sensory Characteristics of Doughnuts|url=http://www.ifrj.upm.edu.my/15%20(2)%202008/119-124.pdf|volume=15|issue=2|pages=119–124|via=Semantic Scholar|magazine=International Food Research journal}}

Uses

In Uganda, 'Thai banana' also known as 'pisang awak' (known locally as kayinja) is grown for making banana beer.{{cite magazine|last1=Rietveld|last2=Ajambo|last3=Nowakuna|last4=Khakasa|last5=Batte|last6=Jakana|last7=Bwengye|last8=Kikulwe|last9=Stoian|date=2014|title=ENHANCING BANANA JUICE AND BEER PRODUCTION & MARKETING IN UGANDA: A PROPOSED BUSINESS CASE|url=https://www.rtb.cgiar.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Banana_JuiceBeer.pdf|via=CGIAR|magazine=International Fund for Agricultural Development}}

In Cambodia, 'Thai banana' as well as 'pisang awak' (known locally as chek nam va) is favored over varieties for its multiple uses while other varieties are valued for the fruit.{{cite web|url=http://www.chanbokeo.com/index.php?gcm=1411&grid=119713>op=5295|title=Khmer Banana|last=Chiv Lina|date=2009-09-14|website=Chanbokeo|access-date=2024-01-31}} The banana blossoms (at the stage of male flower production) and pseudostem, although astringent, are eaten as a vegetable. The folded leaves are used as a container for making steamed curries, including fish amok and ansom chek in which the fragrance of the banana leaves is transferred to the food being cooked.{{cite news|last=Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley|title=Learn to make Cambodian-Style Fish Amok Step-by-Step|work=Sun Sentinel|publication-place=South Florida|publication-date=July 30, 2009|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2009/07/30/learn-to-make-cambodian-style-fish-amok-step-by-step/|access-date=January 31, 2024}}

In Vietnam, Thai bananas are eaten both when ripe, raw and when the fruit is still green. In the Southwest region, almost all parts of the Thai banana tree are used by people to serve their daily lives. "Grilled sticky bananas" is prepared from Thai banana, is one of 9 dishes mentioned by CNN in list of "The World's Best Desserts".{{cite web|url=https://e.vnexpress.net/news/food-recipes/vietnamese-grilled-bananas-among-worlds-most-delicious-desserts-4580364.html|title=Vietnamese grilled bananas among world's most delicious desserts - VnExpress International|author=Anh Minh|date=March 12, 2023|website=VnExpress International – Latest news, business, travel and analysis from Vietnam|language=en|access-date=2024-03-18}}

See also

References

{{Reflist|2}}

{{Banana}}

Category:Banana cultivars