Banana is a very appreciated tropical fruit used in human diet due to its sensorial characteristics and nutrients. Despite of the diversity of varieties existent in Brazil, only a few of them have potential for commercial exploration. Besides agronomic characteristics, fruit quality is of great importance for the selection of new varieties. The present work aimed to evaluate physical and chemical characteristics of fruits of ten banana clones from the Germoplasm Active Bank of Embrapa Cassava and Fruit Crops. The evaluated genotypes were: 'Pacovan' and its hybrids PV03-44 and PV03-76; 'Prata Anã' and its hybrids 'FHIA-18', 'Pioneira' and 'Prata Graúda'; 'Caipira', 'Nanica' and 'Thap Maeo'. The fruits were analyzed as to fresh mass, diameter, length, total soluble solids content (TSS), moisture, pH, total titratable acidity (TTA), sugars (total, reducing and nonreducing), starch and ascorbic acid. 'Prata Anã' 'Pacovan' and its hybrids PV03-44 and PV03-76 presented the highest contents for TSS, total and reducing sugars, characteristics related to the sensorial quality of the product. 'Caipira' presented the highest TSS/TTA ratio, 'Prata Anã' the highest vitamin C content and Thap Maeo highest pulp yield, the last an important parameter for the industry of concentrated and dried products.
Musa spp.; cultivar; hybrid; chemical composition; quality
