Tolerance of Plantain Banana [Musa paradisiaca L., (Musaceae)] to Water Deficit: Agro-Morphological and Physiological Responses under Greenhouse Conditions

Abstract

Plantain, a monocotyledon belonging to the Musaceae family, is a key crop in Côte d’Ivoire. It plays an essential role in food security and income diversification, contributing significantly to poverty reduction, especially in rural areas. However, in the face of climate change and decreasing rainfall, identifying drought-tolerant varieties has become a priority. Nine plantain cultivars, including seven traditional and two improved ones, were selected at the nursery stage. They were then grown under controlled greenhouse conditions and subjected to different watering regimes to identify those with drought tolerance traits, based on the evaluation of vegetative growth and physiological parameters. Daily watering led to a significantly higher average number of living leaves (3.78) compared to the low watering regime (3.49). The cultivar Pita 3 recorded the greatest plant heights, with 3.57 cm under daily watering and 3.47 cm with watering every two weeks. In contrast, the lowest values (2.27 cm and 2.11 cm) were observed with French Sombre. The cultivar Zakoi stood out with a larger collar diameter (4.01 cm), compared to values ranging from 1.35 cm to 2.3 cm in other cultivars. Regarding leaf area, Pita 3 (382.37 cm²) and Zakoi (367.59 cm²) outperformed the others, while French Sombre had the lowest values (224.99 cm²). The study revealed that the lifespan of the plantlets varied significantly among the cultivars, ranging from 47.46 days (Banadyshie and French Sombre) to 63.46 days (Fhia 21). Finally, daily watering resulted in a higher average nitrogen content (18.84 mg/g) and lower leaf moisture (17.95%) compared to the biweekly watering regime, which showed 17.67 mg/g and 21.48%, respectively. These results indicate that the cultivars Pita 3 and Zakoi exhibit better drought tolerance and could be prioritized in drought adaptation strategies.