Rasthali
A regional table type (Silk group) grown for premium local markets. Not yet individually researched for a detail page.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Banana
- Type
- Planting material
- Season
- All seasons
- Maturity period
- 12–15 months
- Expected yield
- Medium
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- A traditional Silk-subgroup (AAB) dessert cultivar, also known regionally as Nanjangud Rasbale — not an ICAR-bred release; ICAR-NRCB Tiruchirapalli has researched Fusarium-wilt-resistant mutant lines derived from it, but the base cultivar remains a traditional selection, propagated from suckers or tissue culture, not true seed
About this variety
Rasthali is an AAB-genome dessert banana of the Silk subgroup, known regionally as Silk, Mutheli, Malbhog, Martaman, Karkandu vazhai, Amruthpani and Rasabale, and in Karnataka as Nanjangud Rasbale, per a directly-fetched global-agriculture.com variety profile. A directly-fetched TNAU banana variety page places core production in Tamil Nadu's Erode and Tiruchirapalli districts plus Kerala and Karnataka, with global-agriculture.com additionally naming Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. TNAU records a 14–15 month crop duration, a bunch of 15–20 kg with 60–80 fruits, thin, easily-peeled ivory-yellow skin, and sweet, aromatic flesh; both sources independently describe the fruit as prized for fresh eating but genuinely difficult and costly to grow — global-agriculture.com specifically cites 'severe susceptibility to Fusarium wilt' plus the need for bunch covers against sun-cracking and a tendency to form hard lumps in the pulp, while TNAU separately lists susceptibility to panama wilt, fusarium wilt, hard-lump formation, and fruit dropping off the bunch. A directly-fetched peer-reviewed geographical study of Fusarium wilt across India adds hard numbers: Rasthali showed the widest incidence range of any cultivar surveyed, from 0.4% up to 45% in the field, infected by both the older Foc race 1 and the newer STR4 strain across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Odisha and Assam, and was associated with the highest number of distinct Foc vegetative compatibility groups (10) of any cultivar in the study — evidence of broad, not narrow, vulnerability to the pathogen.
Key characteristics
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
12–15 months
Expected yield
Medium
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
- Variable
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Distinctive thin, easily-peeled skin, mealy ivory-white pulp and strong aroma give it a loyal, premium fresh-fruit market across South India
- Well documented in national germplasm collections — ICAR-NRCB's field gene bank alone holds hundreds of accessions — so breeding programmes are actively working on wilt-resistant improved lines
- Grown across a wide swath of South and East India (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar), giving growers access to regionally adapted planting material
Things to consider
- Two independently-fetched sources (global-agriculture.com and TNAU) both describe genuinely severe Fusarium/panama wilt susceptibility, and a directly-fetched peer-reviewed geographical study found field incidence as high as 45% (range 0.4–45%) and the widest genetic diversity of Foc strains of any cultivar surveyed — consistent with, but more specific than, this record's existing diseaseResistance field of 'Variable.'
- Crop duration and bunch-size figures vary modestly between sources — TNAU gives 14–15 months and a 15–20 kg / 60–80-fruit bunch, while a separate general profile gives a 15 kg bunch with 80–90 fruits — both broadly compatible with this record's existing 12–15-month duration field, not a contradiction.
- Corrected 2026-08-15: states previously listed Tamil Nadu, Kerala only. TNAU adds Karnataka, and global-agriculture.com further adds Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, so the field now lists all five.
- Requires bunch covers to prevent sun-cracking and is prone to hard lumps forming in the pulp — real added production costs beyond the disease risk, not currently reflected in this record's fields.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Tamil Nadu
- Kerala
- Karnataka
- Andhra Pradesh
- Bihar
Frequently asked questions
Is Rasthali resistant to Fusarium wilt?
No — it is one of the more genuinely susceptible dessert bananas to Fusarium/panama wilt. A peer-reviewed geographical study found field incidence up to 45% and infection by both the older race 1 and the newer TR4-related STR4 strain, with the widest range of pathogen diversity of any cultivar surveyed.
What other names does Rasthali go by?
Silk, Mutheli, Malbhog, Martaman, Karkandu vazhai, Amruthpani and Rasabale are all regional names for the same AAB Silk-subgroup cultivar; in Karnataka it is often called Nanjangud Rasbale.
Why does Rasthali need a bunch cover?
To protect the fruit from sun-cracking during development — one of several extra production costs (alongside hard-lump formation in the pulp and wilt management) that make Rasthali more expensive to grow than a standard Cavendish type.
Which states grow Rasthali commercially?
Mainly Tamil Nadu (Erode and Tiruchirapalli districts) and Kerala, with real cultivation also reported in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.
Are wilt-resistant versions of Rasthali being developed?
Yes — ICAR-NRCB in Tiruchirapalli has used induced mutagenesis on Rasthali specifically to screen for Fusarium-wilt resistance and has identified resistant mutant lines in research trials, though these are not yet the standard commercial planting material.
Sourced from: Banana Variety Rasthali (Silk AAB) — Global Agriculture, Season & Varieties — Banana Expert System, TNAU Agritech Portal, Geographical Distribution, Host Range and Genetic Diversity of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Causing Fusarium Wilt of Banana in India — PMC. editorial policy.