PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 7:52 PM by Luigi

Karat, the Fe'i banana of Pohnpei, is eaten raw and cooked!

Dr Lois Englberger, of the NGO Island Food Community of Pohnpei, has asked me to circulate the following short note. All comments welcome.....

Karat, is a Fe'i banana from Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia and has erect bunches and purple sap, similar to other Fe’i banana varieties. Although there has been considerable discussion about this banana recently, there has also been some confusion as to how it is eaten. Several articles in the literature have indicated that Karat, and all Fe’i bananas, must be cooked to be eaten. That is far from the truth! Pohnpei key informants have explained that Karat is more frequently eaten raw, although it is sometimes eaten cooked. On the other hand, there is another Fe’i banana growing in Pohnpei, Utin Iap, and this is almost always consumed cooked.

This information is important. To imply that Karat must be cooked in order to be eaten would be to underestimate its value. Pohnpei informants agree that the raw fruit is delicious. It should also be pointed out that there are several cultivars of Karat. Karat Pako is characterized by very large fingers (individual fruits), often 400 to 500 grams per individual fruit. Karat Pako also has a skin that is rather rough to the touch. Karat Pwehu, on the other hand, has a smooth skin and the fingers are fat but much smaller, around 200 to 250 grams each. Karat Kole has a rounder shaped individual fruit compared to Karat Pako and Karat Pwehu, and the fruits spiral up the bunch, in contrast to the other Karat types, which have distinct hands (or clusters) of fruits.

All three types of Karat have a very yellow/orange-colored flesh. Due to their high content of provitamin A and total carotenoids, they offer high health benefits, protecting against vitamin A deficiency, and may also protect against diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Informants indicate that the plant appearance, taste and flesh color of different types of Karat do not differ greatly, although a more systematic study of the different types of Karat is now in progress.



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This weblog documents the activities of Pacific Agricultural Genetic Resources Network (PAPGREN), along with other information on plant genetic resources (PGR) in the Pacific. The myriad varieties found within cultivated plants are fundamental to the present and future productivity of agriculture. PAPGREN, which is coordinated by the Land Resources Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), helps Pacific countries and territories to conserve their crop genetic diversity sustainably, with technical assistance from the Bioversity International (BI) and support from NZAID and ACIAR. SPC also hosts the Centre of Pacific Crops and Trees (CEPaCT). The CEPaCT maintains regional in vitro collections of crops important to the Pacific and carries out research on tissue culture technology. The CEPaCT Adviser is Dr Mary Taylor (MaryT@spc.int), the CEPaCT Curator is Ms Valerie Tuia (ValerieT@spc.int). 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Box 77 Nausori Fiji Islands Tel: (679) 3477044 Fax: (679) 3477546-400262 Email: apisainu@yahoo.com Dr Maurice Wong Service du Developpement Rural B.P. 100 Papeete Tahiti 98713 French Polynesia Tel: (689) 42 81 44 Fax: (689) 42 08 31 Email: maurice.wong@rural.gov.pf Mr Tianeti Beenna Ioane Head, Research Section Division of Agriculture Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development P.O. Box 267 Tarawa Kiribati Tel: (686) 28096-28108-28080 Fax: (686) 28121 Email : agriculture@tskl.net.ki; Beenna_ti@yahoo.com Mr Frederick Muller Secretary Ministry of Resources & Development P.O. Box 1727 Majuro 96960 Marshall Islands Tel: (692) 6253206 Fax: (692) 6257471 Email: rndsec@ntamar.net Mr Herman Francisco Director Bureau of Agriculture Ministry of Resources & Development P.O. Box 460 Koror 96940 Palau Tel: (680) 4881517 Fax: (680) 4881725 Email: bnrd@pnccwg.palaunet.com Ms Rosa Kambuou Principal Scientist PGR NARI Dry Lowlands Programme Laloki Agricultural Research Station P.O. Box 1828 Boroko National Capital District Papua New Guinea Tel: (675) 3235511 Fax: (675) 3234733 Email: kambuou@global.net.pg Ms Laisene Samuelu Principal Crop Development Officer Crops Division Ministry of Agriculture, Forests, Fisheries & Meteorology P.O. Box 1874 Apia Samoa Tel: (685) 23416-20605 Fax: (685) 20607-23996 Email: lsamuelu@lesamoa.net Mr Jimi Saelea Director of Research Department of Agriculture and Livestock P.O. Box G13 Honiara Guadalcanal Solomon Islands Tel: (677) 27987 Mr Tony Jansen Planting Materials Network Kastom Gaden Association Burns Creek, Honiara P.O. Box 742 Honiara Solomon Islands Tel: (677) 39551 Email: kastomgaden@solomon.com.sb Mr Finao Pole Head of Research Ministry of Agriculture & Forests P.O. Box 14 Nuku'alofa Tonga Tel: (676) 23038 Fax: (676) 24271 Email: thaangana@hotmail.com Mr Frazer Bule Lehi Head of Research Department of Agriculture & Rural Development Private Mail Bag 040 Port Vila Vanuatu Tel: (678) 22525 Fax: (678) 25265 Email: flehi@hotmail.com Other links Other CROP agencies Forum Secretariat University of the South Pacific SPREP Pacific biodiversity Biodiversity hotspots Breadfruit Institute Hawaiian native plants Intellectual property rights Nature Conservancy PBIF PestNet SIDS WWF South Pacific Program Other Pacific organizations Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific Micronesian Seminar Te Puna web directory Pacific news Cafe Pacific CocoNET Wireless Island Directory Pacific Islands News Pacific Islands Report Pacific Islands Travel Pacific Time South Pacific travel Time Pacific Interested in GIS? DIVA-GIS	Monday, March 15, 2004 Posted 7:52 PM by Luigi Karat, the Fe'i banana of Pohnpei, is eaten raw and cooked! Dr Lois Englberger, of the NGO Island Food Community of Pohnpei, has asked me to circulate the following short note. All comments welcome..... Karat, is a Fe'i banana from Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia and has erect bunches and purple sap, similar to other Fe’i banana varieties. Although there has been considerable discussion about this banana recently, there has also been some confusion as to how it is eaten. Several articles in the literature have indicated that Karat, and all Fe’i bananas, must be cooked to be eaten. That is far from the truth! Pohnpei key informants have explained that Karat is more frequently eaten raw, although it is sometimes eaten cooked. On the other hand, there is another Fe’i banana growing in Pohnpei, Utin Iap, and this is almost always consumed cooked. This information is important. To imply that Karat must be cooked in order to be eaten would be to underestimate its value. Pohnpei informants agree that the raw fruit is delicious. It should also be pointed out that there are several cultivars of Karat. Karat Pako is characterized by very large fingers (individual fruits), often 400 to 500 grams per individual fruit. Karat Pako also has a skin that is rather rough to the touch. Karat Pwehu, on the other hand, has a smooth skin and the fingers are fat but much smaller, around 200 to 250 grams each. Karat Kole has a rounder shaped individual fruit compared to Karat Pako and Karat Pwehu, and the fruits spiral up the bunch, in contrast to the other Karat types, which have distinct hands (or clusters) of fruits. All three types of Karat have a very yellow/orange-colored flesh. Due to their high content of provitamin A and total carotenoids, they offer high health benefits, protecting against vitamin A deficiency, and may also protect against diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Informants indicate that the plant appearance, taste and flesh color of different types of Karat do not differ greatly, although a more systematic study of the different types of Karat is now in progress. * Comments: Post a Comment Sunday, March 14, 2004 Posted 2:15 PM by Luigi The Breadfruit Institute Dr Diane Ragone is announcing that The Breadfruit Institute has a new website at www.breadfruit.org. 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