'Pitogo'

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'Pitogo' is an ABB cultivar from the Philippines with almost round fruit.

Local names

'Platano Higo' ("Fig plantain"), 'Nilanzon' ("like a langsat fruit"), 'Enetlog' ("like an egg") (Philippines)1 , 'Pisang Kates' (Indonesia), 'Ugly banana' (USA)2

History of cultivation and current distribution

'Pitogo' originated in the Philippines, where it is well known and grown commercially. It was introduced to Hawaii quite recently and stays a rare curiosity on specialty fruit farms2 .

Morphological characteristics

The small to medium-sized bunch is compact and hangs at a slight angle from the pseudostem, with individual fruits densely packed in the hand1 . The seedless fruits are almost round or fig-like in shape, with blunt tip1 and a waxy bloom on the skin2 . The thick peel is lemon yellow in color when ripe, and the cream-colored pulp is firm and sticky1 .

The rounded, blunt-tipped fruits may resemble those of Popoulu cultivars, but Pitogo fruits are smaller and less evenly arranged on the bunch. The two groups are unrelated.

Agronomic traits, yield and fruit characteristics

 

Days from planting to flowering:	2911
Days from flowering to harvest:	1051
Days from planting to harvest:	3961
Days from first to second harvest:	941
Plant height (cm):	300-330{1 , 310-4302
Functional leaves at shooting:
Total leaves at shooting:
Mean bunch weight (kg):	10-111
Number of hands:	9-101 , 5-62
Total number of fruits:	170-1901
Finger length (cm):	7.51 , 7.62
Finger girth (cm):	4.11 , 3.82
Finger weight (g):	611
Yield (t/ha):

Host reaction to diseases and pests

Bacterial diseases

Moko bacteria wilt / Bugtok (Ralstonia solanacearum)

Rated as susceptible in artifical inoculation tests in Honduras3

Uses

Pitogo is consumed either fresh or cooked (dual purpose)1 . The fruit is sweet and non-aromatic; it is good as dessert, but excellent when fried1 .

References

See also on this website

External links