Musa zaifui brought in for winter

Mr List

Re: Musa zaifui brought in for winter

Post by Mr List »

still super rare isn't it?

should get one off to TC if it is survivor
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Dave Brown
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Re: Musa zaifui brought in for winter

Post by Dave Brown »

I did approach a UK TC operation about 18 months ago, but not about this plant, and it was quite clear they had no intention of dealing with me. I presume they want to source plant material on the open market then TC it without having to share any profit.
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Mr List

Re: Musa zaifui brought in for winter

Post by Mr List »

I am sure if you were to get really serious about TC you would be able to find some way of making it work.

what was the other plant out of curiosity?
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Re: Musa zaifui brought in for winter

Post by Dave Brown »

TC is a lab process that needs very precise solutions, temperature etc. Everything needs to be scrupulously clean. It is not something easily done.
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Re: Musa zaifui brought in for winter

Post by Dave Brown »

The mother plant is still growing, and the leaves are growing out to full length even though no additional light has been given. This is important as some bananas struggle with lack of light in winter so fail to have the energy to grow.
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Kristen

Re: Musa zaifui brought in for winter

Post by Kristen »

Dave Brown wrote:TC is a lab process that needs very precise solutions, temperature etc. Everything needs to be scrupulously clean. It is not something easily done.
Based on the shoe-string operation of the TC lab I worked in during the 70's I think it would be doable as a kitchen-table-top operation, but probably not on the cheap. I reckon you'd need a sterile cabinet, microscope, autoclave plus all the glassware. Probably a shaker table too. Then a well lit growing room, but that wouldn't have to be big. After that a growing on room, but that could be all using artificial light. I think it would make an interesting hobby, tackling only rare, low volume, species.
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Re: Musa zaifui brought in for winter

Post by Dave Brown »

Kristen wrote:
Dave Brown wrote:TC is a lab process that needs very precise solutions, temperature etc. Everything needs to be scrupulously clean. It is not something easily done.
Based on the shoe-string operation of the TC lab I worked in during the 70's I think it would be doable as a kitchen-table-top operation, but probably not on the cheap. I reckon you'd need a sterile cabinet, microscope, autoclave plus all the glassware. Probably a shaker table too. Then a well lit growing room, but that wouldn't have to be big. After that a growing on room, but that could be all using artificial light. I think it would make an interesting hobby, tackling only rare, low volume, species.
Perhaps you have your own kitchen :lol: but my wife would defend 'hers' to the death :lol: Nice idea but I would never get finance sign off for a costly 'hobby' in the present economic circumstances.
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Kristen

Re: Musa zaifui brought in for winter

Post by Kristen »

Yup, agreed. Costly startup costs - unless you get to buy Portland Down in a knockdown eBay auction :)

It would be interesting to do some sums though to see what the startup cost is against the premium price for some of the rarer plants that commercial outfits are probably not bothering with - like Musa aeae
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Re: Musa zaifui brought in for winter

Post by Dave Brown »

Kristen wrote:Yup, agreed. Costly startup costs - unless you get to buy Portland Down in a knockdown eBay auction :)

It would be interesting to do some sums though to see what the startup cost is against the premium price for some of the rarer plants that commercial outfits are probably not bothering with - like Musa aeae
It's not just a cost factor Kristen, it is leaning the skills, and even then some plants have not been successful even in professional established TC labs. Ae ae being one. The American market would have been huge for that, but none of their TC labs were successful. I think they were able to clone, but not the variegation.
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Alexander

Re: Musa zaifui brought in for winter

Post by Alexander »

GREVILLE wrote:.....And perhaps a third virtue for zaifui, Dave, that it pups prolifically?

If it does and no major online nursery is selling it, one hopes there will be an orderly queue...... :lol:
I get one now. Hopefully in the near futur a long queue will be there to get some offspring of my plant.

Alexander
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Re: Musa zaifui brought in for winter

Post by Dave Brown »

Musa zaifui update. This winter I have kept it watered and in temps of 8C/46F to 23C/74F (unheated in conservatory) it has continued to grow slowly in spite of no additional light being given.

This is important as shows it does not need high light levels to grow normally. The only difference between Summer and winter is speed, as might be expected, and the plum colour petioles have not coloured up, but leaf shape and size is not affected

The experiment continues :wink:
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2014-01-08 15-21-10 Musa zaifui.jpg
2014-01-08 15-21-32 Musa zaifui 2.jpg
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GREVILLE

Re: Musa zaifui brought in for winter

Post by GREVILLE »

I think if you want to keep one of the 'hardier' bananas gently active over winter, Dave, zaifui is giving you exactly what you want.
Alexander

Re: Musa zaifui brought in for winter

Post by Alexander »

I have also now one. I keep it growing and later when I get more offspring I could try it outside for testing its coldhardiness. It will get the same treatment then as Musa basjoo.

Alexander
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