Developed by the MusaNet Taxonomy Advisory Group – version Sept 2019
Record the relative surface area coverage by blotches. Look at several plants if possible to get an overall idea. Observe at lowering time.
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No pigmentation | |
| 2 | Sparse blotching | <20% |
| 3 | Moderate blotching | 20%-50% |
| 4 | Extensive pigmentation | >50% |
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orange-brown | mahogany, like in Pisang Mas |
| 2 | Brown | |
| 3 | Black-purple | |
| 4 | Other |
Use colour chart A. Wax removed.
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cream | |
| 2 | Yellow | |
| 3 | Watery green | |
| 4 | Green yellow | |
| 5 | Light green | |
| 6 | Medium green | |
| 7 | Green | |
| 8 | Dark green | |
| 9 | Whitish | |
| 10 | Orange red | |
| 11 | Red | |
| 12 | Pink-purple | |
| 13 | Purple-brown | |
| 14 | Red-purple | |
| 15 | Purple | |
| 16 | Blue |
Use colour chart A. Observation should be made before shooting, on a developed sucker or on another plant of the same accession. Look at the visible face (future lower face) of the cigar leaf before it is unfurled and before the plant flowers.
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green | |
| 2 | Red-purple | |
| 3 | Other | specify on answer sheet |
The third leaf (Leaf III) is counted from the last leaf produced before bunch emergence. Cut the petiole halfway between the pseudostem and the leaf blade and examine the cross section. Observe at flowering time.
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Margins spreading | |
| 2 | Margins erect | |
| 3 | Margins curved inward | |
| 4 | Margins overlapping |
Margin is the part of the petiole that can be bent outwards/inwards. Observe at flowering time.
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Winged | |
| 2 | Not winged |
Observation should be made at shooting on the neck, where the petiole and pseudostem meet. Margin is the part of the petiole that can be bent outwards/inwards. Observe at flowering time.
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clasping | |
| 2 | Not clasping |
Observation should be made at shooting. Record on the last developed leaf at flowering stage.
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No contrast between margin and petiole | without a colour line along |
| 2 | Contrast between margin and petiole | with a contrasting colour line along |
Angle between the axis of the bunch and the vertical.
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hanging vertically | |
| 2 | Slightly angled | |
| 3 | Hanging at a 45° angle | |
| 4 | Horizontal | |
| 5 | Erect |
Score on fully developed plant with no environmental stress.
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cylindrical | |
| 2 | Truncate | = cone shaped |
| 3 | Asymmetrical | all fruit are attached to a unique crown coiled around the stalk |
| 4 | Spiral | |
| 5 | Other |
Observe only the part of the rachis between the last hand and the male bud.
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Falling vertically | |
| 2 | At an angle | |
| 3 | With a curve | |
| 4 | Horizontal or supra-horizontal | |
| 5 | Erect |
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bare | |
| 2 | Neutral flowers on one to few hands only near the bunch | rest of stalk is bare |
| 3 | Male flowers/bracts above the male bud | rest of stalk is bare |
| 4 | Neutral/male flowers and presence of withered bracts on the entire stalk | |
| 5 | Neutral/male flowers on the whole stalk without persistent bracts | still firmly attached to the rachis |
| 6 | Small bunch from neutral/hermaphrodite flowers just above the male bud | |
| 7 | Other |
“w” is the broadest width of the male bud. “x” is the length from the base of the male bud to the point of broadest width ‘w’; “y” is the total length of the male bud. As the figure shows, these parameters express the profile of the bud. Do not measure the dimensions along the bud but rather on a projection/outline of the bud (e.g. trace the outline of the bud on paper). Calculate the ratio w/y (see figure)
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Skinny | w/y <= 0.45 |
| 2 | Medium | 0.45 < w/y < 0.55 |
| 3 | Fat | w/y >= 0.55 |
“w” is the broadest width of the male bud. “x” is the length from the base of the male bud to the point of broadest width ‘w’; “y” is the total length of the male bud. As the figure shows, these parameters express the profile of the bud. Do not measure the dimensions along the bud but rather on a projection/outline of the bud (e.g. trace the outline of the bud on paper). Measure the length (y) of male bud at harvest (see figure).
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Short | y <= 20 cm |
| 2 | Medium | 20 cm < y < 30 cm |
| 3 | Long | >= 30 cm |
“w” is the broadest width of the male bud. “x” is the length from the base of the male bud to the point of broadest width ‘w’; “y” is the total length of the male bud. As the figure shows, these parameters express the profile of the bud. Do not measure the dimensions along the bud but rather on a projection/outline of the bud (e.g. trace the outline of the bud on paper). Calculate the ratio x/y (see figure).
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | High shouldered | x/y <= 0.28 |
| 2 | Medium shouldered | 0.28 < x/y < 0.30 |
| 3 | Low shouldered | x/y >= 0.30 |
Refers to the first external unlifted bract. Flatten bracts to determine shape.
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pointed | |
| 2 | Intermediate | |
| 3 | Obtuse | |
| 4 | Obtuse and split |
Alignment of bracts at the apex of the male bud
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Convolute | |
| 2 | Moderately imbricate | |
| 3 | Highly imbricate |
Refers to the last lifted bract. Best to record as bract has lifted up to the horizontal.
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Revolute | rolling |
| 2 | Not revolute | not rolling |
Observe the inner fruit in the middle of the mid-hand of the bunch. In case of an asymmetric bunch, score the dominant fruit shape appearing in the bunch.
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Straight | |
| 2 | Slightly curved | |
| 3 | Straight in the distal part | |
| 4 | Curved | sharp curve |
| 5 | Curved in slight 'S' shape | double curvature |
| 6 | Other |
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pointed | |
| 2 | Lengthily pointed | like plantain |
| 3 | Blunt tipped | plateau at tip |
| 4 | Strongly bottle necked | wider under tip than number 2 |
| 5 | Rounded |
Observe before cutting the bunch as relicts may fall off.
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Without flower relicts | |
| 2 | Few flower relicts | <20% of the fruits with relicts |
| 3 | Persistent flower relicts | >20% of the fruits with relicts |
| 4 | Only base of the style persists |
Before they join the rachis at the bract scar. Look up from bottom of bunch.
| Code | Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No visible sign of fusion | |
| 2 | Partially fused | up to 50% of the length of the pedicel |
| 3 | Totally fused | more than 50% of the length of the pedicel |