Dwarf Cavendish (Basrai)
A short, wind-tolerant Cavendish long grown in western India before G-9.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Banana
- Type
- Planting material
- Season
- All seasons
- Maturity period
- 12–14 months
- Expected yield
- High
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- Highly susceptible to Sigatoka leaf spot
- Release
- A traditional AAA-genome Cavendish selection long established across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bihar and West Bengal (Basrai is its trade name in Maharashtra) — not an ICAR-bred release; propagated from suckers or tissue culture, not true seed
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Dwarf Cavendish — sold commercially in India as Basrai, its dominant trade name in Maharashtra — is an AAA-genome dessert banana and the most widely grown commercial banana type in the country. It is a dwarf, wind-tolerant plant grown extensively in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bihar and West Bengal, with further cultivation in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh — a wider spread than a single state. TNAU (Tamil Nadu Agricultural University) records a bunch of about 20–25 kg with roughly 12 hands and 150+ fruits; its Karnataka entry gives a somewhat lower 15–25 kg with 6–7 hands and about 13 fruits per hand — both plausible ranges for a variety grown this widely under different management levels. Fruits keep a thick rind that stays partly greenish even when ripe, and the post-harvest keeping quality is comparatively poor. It is badly hit, not just mildly, by Sigatoka leaf spot in humid weather: TNAU calls it "highly susceptible". A related, higher-yielding Gujarat selection called Hanuman or Padarre (from Gandevi) produces markedly heavier 55–60 kg bunches but takes a longer crop duration to reach that size.
Should you pick this variety?
Pick Dwarf Cavendish, sold as Basrai in Maharashtra, if your plot catches wind and you sell close to home. It is the most widely grown commercial banana in India, so suckers, advice and buyers are all easy to find, and the short plant lodges far less in a storm. The bunch is lighter than Robusta's 25–30 kg, running about 15–25 kg, with the heavy end coming from high-density planting with drip. Two real limits. Its Sigatoka rating is the harshest of the bananas here: highly susceptible in humid weather, where Robusta is rated only susceptible and Nendran has moderate tolerance. And its keeping quality after harvest is poor, so it is not a long-haul fruit. Choose Grand Naine for uniform export-grade bunches, Robusta for a heavier bunch, or Nendran if Panama wilt is in your soil.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeJanuary–February or November–December on garden land (TNAU)
- Spacing1.5 x 1.5 m — the closest spacing TNAU gives any banana, about 4,440 plants per hectare. Being short, it carries that density without shading itself out
- Sowing methodPlant sword suckers of 1.5–2.0 kg, free of disease and nematodes. Trim the roots and the rotted part of the corm and cut the pseudostem 20 cm above it. Either shade-dry the suckers 24 hours or pralinage them with 40 g carbofuran 3G. Tissue-culture plants should have 5–6 leaves
- IrrigationWater immediately after planting, give a life irrigation on the fourth day, then weekly on garden land and every 10–15 days on wet land. On drip: 5–10 litres per plant per day up to the fourth month, 10–15 until shooting, and 15 or more from shooting until 15 days before harvest
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Dwarf, wind-tolerant plant habit reduces storm/wind-lodging losses compared to taller banana types
- High-density planting combined with drip irrigation is reported to make the variety highly productive
- Most widely grown commercial banana in India, so planting material, agronomic know-how and market infrastructure are all well established
- A related Gujarat selection (Hanuman/Padarre) offers a much heavier-bunching option (55–60 kg) if you can wait through a longer crop cycle
Things to consider
- TNAU describes Dwarf Cavendish as highly susceptible to Sigatoka leaf spot in humid conditions.
- Maharashtra is the leading production state for this variety, where it is sold as Basrai. It is also grown in Gujarat, Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
- Bunch-size figures vary modestly by source. TNAU gives ~20–25 kg / 12 hands / 150+ fruits in its Tamil Nadu entry and a lower ~15–25 kg / 6–7 hands / ~13 fruits per hand in its Karnataka entry. Both are plausible for a variety grown this widely across different regions and management levels — regional variance, not a contradiction.
- Keeping quality is described as poor by both sources — relevant for a farmer weighing this variety against Robusta or a hybrid like Grand Naine for a market requiring longer transport.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Maharashtra
- Gujarat
- Bihar
- West Bengal
- Tamil Nadu
- Karnataka
- Andhra Pradesh
Keeping Sigatoka down in humid weather
Both sources agree Dwarf Cavendish is badly hit by Sigatoka leaf spot in humid conditions, and leaf spot costs you twice: the plant loses working leaf area, so the bunch fills less, and the fruit that does come is smaller.
Most of the control is housekeeping. Cut and remove spotted and dried leaves instead of letting them lie in the plantation, keep the suckers thinned to the number your spacing allows so air moves between plants, and keep drainage open so the soil surface is not permanently wet. Avoid watering over the leaves where you can. When the weather turns warm and wet, ask your KVK which fungicide and interval are advised locally and start before the spots spread, not after the lower leaves have gone. Its keeping quality after harvest is comparatively poor anyway, so a crop weakened by leaf spot is a crop that will not travel.
Can you keep your own planting material?
This crop is raised from suckers taken off the mother plant, so you can multiply it yourself. Pick sturdy suckers of even size from healthy, well-yielding clumps, and never from one that looked diseased or stunted — the new plant inherits whatever the mother had. For a clean start, take planting material from a registered nursery or a government farm.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Banana variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwarf Cavendish (Basrai)this page | Windy fields and a nearby market, on the most familiar banana of all | 12–14 months | High | Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh |
| Grand Naine (G9) | Uniform export and retail-grade bunches, away from TR4 districts | 11–12 months, planting to harvest | 483–503 q/ha in Bihar KVK demonstrations (420–431 on local practice) | Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh |
| Nendran | Kerala's chips and cooking trade, and wilt-sick soil | 9–12 months, planting to harvest, by ecotype | No institute per-hectare figure found; bunches 12–15 kg | Kerala, Tamil Nadu |
| Poovan | A sour-sweet dessert banana for the Tamil Nadu fresh market, on clean land | 11–14 months (TNAU) | 400–500 q/ha a year (TNAU) | Tamil Nadu, Kerala |
| Rasthali | A premium Silk-type dessert banana, for a farmer who can watch the crop closely | 12–15 months | Medium | Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar |
| Red Banana | The highest-priced banana, for a grower who can wait 16–18 months | 16–18 months | Medium | Tamil Nadu |
| Robusta | Heavy Cavendish bunches for the south Indian fresh market | 12–13 months | High | Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Banana is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Banana plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Banana variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Banana into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Banana rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Banana seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Basrai the same variety as Dwarf Cavendish?
Yes — Basrai is simply the trade name Dwarf Cavendish (AAA) is sold under in Maharashtra, where it is the dominant commercial banana variety.
Is Dwarf Cavendish resistant to Sigatoka leaf spot?
No. TNAU describes it as highly susceptible to Sigatoka in humid conditions.
Which state grows the most Dwarf Cavendish (Basrai)?
Maharashtra, where it is the dominant commercial variety and gives the crop its Basrai name — followed by Gujarat, Bihar and West Bengal, with further cultivation in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Does Dwarf Cavendish keep well after harvest?
Not especially — both sources checked describe its post-harvest keeping quality as comparatively poor, something to plan around for longer-distance markets.
Is there a higher-yielding version of Basrai?
Yes — a Gujarat selection from Gandevi, known as Hanuman or Padarre, produces much heavier bunches (55–60 kg versus Basrai's typical 15–25 kg) but takes a longer crop duration to reach that size.
What can I do about Sigatoka in Dwarf Cavendish?
Manage it in the field, because the variety gives you no protection. Keep wide enough spacing for air to move, cut and remove the lower infected leaves instead of dropping them in the plot, keep drainage sharp in the monsoon, and follow your local spray advisory before the spotting spreads to the upper leaves.
Dwarf Cavendish or Grand Naine for my field?
Dwarf Cavendish is shorter and stands up to wind, with planting material available everywhere, but keeps poorly after harvest. Grand Naine gives uniform bunches that grade well for export and modern retail. If you sell locally in a windy tract, Basrai; if you supply a trader or a packhouse, Grand Naine.
Should I plant the Hanuman or Padarre type instead?
That Gujarat selection from Gandevi carries much heavier bunches, 55–60 kg against the usual 15–25 kg, but it needs a longer crop to get there. Worth it if your field can hold the crop that extra time and your buyer pays by weight; not worth it if you need the plot back sooner.
When should I plant Dwarf Cavendish?
January–February or November–December on garden land, the window TNAU gives. Planting at the start of a dry stretch lets the young plant establish before heavy rain, and wet soil around a new sucker is where most early losses come from.
How long does Dwarf Cavendish take to a bunch?
12–14 months, a little longer than Grand Naine at 11–12 months. Through most of that the crop needs Sigatoka watched closely, because this variety is highly susceptible and leaf loss late in the cycle costs you bunch weight directly.
Sourced from: Banana Variety Dwarf Cavendish (AAA) — Global Agriculture, Season & Varieties — Banana Expert System, TNAU Agritech Portal, Banana production guide, TNAU Agritech Portal: variety-wise planting distance and plant population, planting season, sucker selection and irrigation schedule. editorial policy.