The objective of this study was to evaluate the development and the production of seven banana cultivars in the region of Selvíria, Mato Grosso do Sul state. The experiment was conducted in random blocks, under seven different treatments (Nanica; Mysore; Marmelo; Ouro-da-Mata; Ourinho; São Tomé e Prata) with four repetitions, in a total of 28 plots. The results led to the following conclusions: the period which goes from the planting to the flowering was longer for the Mysore cultivar and shorter for the Nanica and São Tomé cultivars. The development from the planting to the harvesting was shorter for the Ouro-da-Mata and Ourinho cultivars and equally longer for the Mysore and Prata cultivars. The Marmelo end Nanica cultivars produced bigger racemes and bunches while the Ouro-da-Mata and Ourinho cultivars produced smaller ones. The Mysore cultivar produced racemes with more bunches and the São Tomé cultivar produced racemes with fewer bunches. The longer and thicker fruits of the second bunch were found in the Marmelo cultivar. The best cultivars for this region are: Nanica and Marmelo as their development was better than the others.
production cycle; banana cultivars; crop characteristics
