Bananas


"No End to the Banana," a traveling exhibit mounted by Bioversity International, was on exhibit at the National Agricultural Library from February 2008 through March 2008. The exhibit closed with a forum discussing themes taken from the exhibit. The presentations are available on the exhibit page, and additional resources, publications, Web sites, and databases on bananas are available below. All of the images are provided courtesy of Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library.
Spotlights
Heliconia bihai,Wild Plaintain.The Botanical Register,London,1819.Vol 5,Pl 8374 Research Articles about Bananas

USDA. National Agricultural Library.

Searches for scientific articles in the NAL Catalog (AGRICOLA) on bananas.
Banana from the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection Books on Bananas

USDA. National Agricultural Library.

Searches for books in the NAL Catalog (AGRICOLA) on bananas.
Banana from the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection. Banana Resources in AGRIS

FAO. International Information System for the Agricultural Sciences and Technology.

References and full text information on bananas brought together through AGRIS, a cooperative system in which participating countries input references to the literature produced within their boundaries and, in return, draw on the information provided by the other participants.
Musa basjoo. Curtis's Botanical Magazine, London, 1891. Volume 117, Plate 7182. Banana Research Information System (Bris)

Bioversity International.

The Bris database contains data that over 800 researchers have compiled while working on bananas and plantains, indicating key areas of interest.
Banana from the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection. MusaLit Database

Bioversity International.

This searchable database contains over 10,900 trilingual bibliographic references about bananas and plantains.
Musa bananier. Recueil de planches de botanique de l'encyclopedie,Paris,1823 ProMusa, A Global Programme for Musa Improvement

ProMusa.

This is the homepage for an organization working for the improvement of musa, the species which includes bananas and plantains, particularly to develop a wide range of hybrids suitable for growers worldwide.
Banana from the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection. TropGENE Banana Database

Centre de Cooperation Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Developpement

This database manages genetic and genomic information about tropical crops studied by CIRAD, including the banana. Includes information on genetic resources, data on molecular markers, and genetic maps.
Bananas, part of the Better Farming Series

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Handbook intended for intermediate-level training in growing bananas, including how to care for a banana plantation and how to harvest and use bananas.
Musa coccinea. Curtis's Botanical Magazine, London, 1813. Volume 38, Plate 1559 Banana and Plantain Section of Bioversity International

Bioversity International.

Web site gives information on growing a wider diversity of banana varieties and offers a number of publications.
Banana from the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection. Global Musa Genomics Consortium Homepage

Global Musa Genomics Consortium.

Home page of an international network of investigators working to sequence the banana genome and create new banana varieties.
Musa manii. Curtis's Botanical Magazine, London, 1893. Volume 119, Plate 7311 USDA National Nutrient Database

USDA. ARS. Nutrient Data Laboratory.

Gives nutritional facts and data charts on a variety of banana quantities.
Banana from the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection. Banana Recipes

USDA. NAL. Food Stamp Nutrition Connection.

A variety of nutritious recipes to make using bananas.
Musa rubra. Curtis's Botanical Magazine, London, 1895. Volume 121, Plate 7451 Adventures of Ranger Rick: Ranger Rick and the Gang Visit Costa Rica and Go Bananas (PDF | 4606KB)

Rainforest Alliance.

This brief story tells of the adventures of Ranger Rick and his friends who encounter the dark side of banana plantations but learn of the new methods of planting bananas which will help the environment instead of hurt it.