PLANTAIN OR EDIBLE BANANA (MUSA X PARADISICA VAR – SAPIEMTUM) SOME LESSER KNOWN FOLK USES IN INDIA

Plantain Or edible banana (Musa X paradisiacal var. Sapientum), an important commercial fruit item of the tropics, is known in India since time immemorial. Apart from its use as a valuable food item, banana fruits and the different part of plant find diverse uses in various folk practices, customs, religious rituals and medicine among the villagers and tribal communities of the country which are oral in tradition. A study conducted on various medicinal applications of banana has shown that they are very effective and can be used by all as simple and safe home remedy for treating a number of common ailments which are reported here.