香蕉去花苞時間對乳汁流量及果實發育之影響

Effect of Time of Debudding on Amount of Latex Released and Development: of Banana Fruits.

為瞭解香蕉在抽穗，雄花出現後，一日之中去花苞（debudding）之時間對乳汁流量之影響，調查一日之中8時、11時、14時及17時等不同時間去花苞時之乳汁流量。結果顯示，去花苞時之乳汁流量，以8時最高，11時最低。乳汁流量之多寡與植株及果房大小之相關性，則因去花苞時間之不同而異，在8時去花苞時之乳汁流量與株高及果軸長度成正相關（r=0.8799；0.7624），但在11時去花苞時，則乳汁流量與株高及果軸長度成負相關（r=-0.7161；-0.8525）。而乳汁流量多寡對香蕉果實發育亦稍有影響，乳汁流量高者，果指之飽滿度增加較乳汁流量少者緩慢，特別是果房基部較大把之果手，影響較大，但末端較小把之果手，則差異並不顯著。因此，在香蕉栽培管理上，去花苞作業應選擇在一日之中乳汁流量較少之近中午附近之時間施行為宜。

The quantity of latex released from the debudded end of the banana bunch stalk at different debudding time within one day was investigated. The amount of latex released was maximal when debudding was done at 8 a.m. and minimal at 11 a.m. The correlations of quantity of latex released to the plant height and the fruit stalk length depended on the debudding time of the day. The amount of latex released was positively correlated to the plant height and fruit stalk length at 8 a.m. (r=0.8799 and 0.7624, respective), however, it was negatively correlated at 11 a.m. (r=-0.7161 and -0.8525, respectively). The growth rate of the proximal fruits (2nd hand) on the bunch that had released higher amount of latex at debudding was much slower than those that had released less latex. However, the growth rate of the distal fruits (2nd distal hand) was not affected by the amount of latex released. It is therefore recommended that the debudding be operated late in the morning or early afternoon to reduce the amount of latex releasing, thereby favoring the subsequent development of banana fruit.