The evaluation of banana genotypes performance during successive cycles of production in different ecosystems is not only essential for a breeding program, but also to indicate promising cultivars for local cropping system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth and yield of banana 'Thap Maeo' (AAB) cultivated in São Francisco Valley, during the first and second production cycle (from the harvest of the mother-plant to the harvest of the daughter-plant) and quality attributes of fruits. Seedlings of banana 'Thap Maeo' were produced by the method of plant tissue culture and transplanted to the field with six months old in the spacing of 3 m x 3 m. The characteristics evaluated were: crop cycles and, in each cycle (in days), plant height, pseudo stem perimeter, number of leaves per plant, number of days from planting to harvest, bunch weight, number of bunches and fruits per bunch; weight of the second bunch, number, length and diameter of the fruits of the second bunch; pulp/peel ratio, firmness, pH, soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA) and SS/TA ratio. The banana 'Thap Maeo' showed, in the second cycle, greater growth, better performance of characters that express production and fruit quality in post-harvest.
Musa sp.; agronomic performance; physical-chemical characteristics
