Hey guys! We’re doing a research project for school and could really use some help from people with firsthand experience.
We’re looking into the cores/pith (ubad) of different banana varieties here in the Philippines (Saba, Lakatan, Latundan, etc.). We’ve done our online digging, but we want to confirm some things before we spend a ton of time and resources sourcing samples.
I’m trying to find a specific type of pith I saw in a YouTube short from India (see the first photo). Notice how it’s totally solid with no spiral sections? The one I found from a young Saba tree (second photo) has those spiral patterns all the way to the core.
Two main questions:
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Are there specific varieties in the PH that have that "solid" core without the spirals?
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For the one I found, is it spiraled just because the tree is still young, or is that just how Saba is? (general question)
If you’ve ever harvested ubad (pith) or work on a farm, your insights would be a huge lifesaver for our study!
yt link: https://youtube.com/shorts/eShBvfixh2s?si=tjc9bZQdNFfRg0gX
by Sebinqiu
3 Comments
Im not sure what you meant with those questions, but it looks like the stem you cut still has the meristem and all the primordial leaves, it’s possible that the other stem was cut after the tree flowered, when the meristem becomes an infloresence and rises to a the height of the tree
Am Indian, we make preparations of the solid stem in the first image. The inner core of the banana plant is solid once it is mature (Usually after flowering and fruiting). It does not peel further into layers. As far as I am aware all varieties have solid cores. I would assume the one in the second image is not mature enough to have a dense core.
The “spirals” are cross sections of leaf sheaths. There is more learning for you to do on your own.