Karakterisasi Varietas Unggul Pisang Mas Kirana Dan Agung Semeru Di Kabupaten Lumajang

The Characterization of Two Superior Varieties of Banana from Lumajang Regency East Java. Lumajang regency is one of the banana production centre in East Java having highdiversity of banana germ plasm. There are 33 cultivars of banana germ plasm in the regency, consist of table fruit and plantain. The superior variety in Lumajang Regency are Agung Semeru (Musa x paradisiaca) as plantain and Mas Kirana (Musa acumunata) as fresh table fruit varieties. Those variety can grow well at 450-650 m above sea level. The objective of this study were to make inventory and exploration banana plants with respect to the information on the condition. Inventory and exploration were conducted at two Regency, i.e. Senduro and Pasrujambe from Mei 2006 until March 2007. The aim of this study were to identify, characterize, and inventarize of banana tree and use as reference characteristics of banana tree. The characteristic of banana’s Agung Semeru variety could be seen by the colour of pseudostem (light red), the uniqueness of fruit set, number of sucker per cluster (only 1-2 suckers per cluster), the size of the finger (33-36 cm long) and 19 cm around) and the number of hand per bunch (only 1- 2 hand per bunch) with the weight around 10-20 kg/bunch. Superior characteristics of the Agung Semeru variety were the thickness of fruit skin, the long period of fruit storage (3-4 weeks after harvesting) and the sweetness of fruit flesh. Even though the skin changes from yellow to black, the flesh still could be consume, because it doesn’t become soft. This variety could be used for the raw material of small and middle home industries. The characteristic of banana Mas Kirana variety could be seen by the colour of pseudostem (brownish-red), number of sucker per cluster (only 2-3 suckers per cluster), the size of the finger was small and prefered by the consumer with yellowish colour, the weight around 11-13 kg/bunch. Superior characteristics of the Mas Kirana variety were sweetness, fresh and crispy of fruit flesh, beside those character also could be used for banana’s cakes and had short period of production. In additions those varieties were also resistant to the Sygatoka disease compared to other plantain cultivars