WORLD’S LONGEST BANANA INFLORESCENCE

GS-3: Environment and Biodiversity

Key Highlights

• A 4.2-metre-long inflorescence (cluster of flowers) was discovered in a wild banana species (Musa indandamanensis) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• This is the longest banana inflorescence ever recorded worldwide.
• The species is endemic to the Andaman region and was first recorded in 2012 from Krishna Nala reserve forest.
• It has been classified as ‘Critically Endangered’.
• Specimens are on display at the Indian Museum in Kolkata and Andaman-Nicobar Regional Centre.
• Ex-situ conservation efforts include sapling plantations in Howrah, Prayagraj, and Andamans.

Detailed Insights

• The Campbell Bay specimen showed the largest girth (110 cm) among all trees observed, though height remained constant at 11 meters.
• Typically, cultivated banana inflorescences are about 1 metre long, whereas the wild species from ANI is significantly longer.
• The study was published in the Botany Letters journal and contributes to botanical records of wild genetic diversity.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved

• Inflorescence: A cluster or group of flowers arranged on a stem.
• Ex-situ conservation: Conservation of components of biological diversity outside their natural habitats.
• Endemic species: Species restricted to a particular geographic location.

Significance

• Important for genetic conservation, biodiversity protection, and crop breeding programmes.
• Offers a natural gene source for developing high-yielding and disease-resistant banana cultivars.
• Enhances India’s profile in global biodiversity records.