Bananas are widely grown in tropical areas and a large proportion of the production is related to the pseudo-stem which is not normally utilized. We hypothesized that this material could be used depending on its nutritional quality. Using a completely randomized block design with 3 replicates, the nutritional composition was evaluated on a Musa sp. fodder bank located at the University of Costa Rica’s Alfredo Volio Mata Experimental Station during the rainy season of 2012. Five adult plants were harvested on each block at 20–25 cm above ground and divided into 5 sections for sampling (base, center and tip of the pseudo-stem and blades and petioles of the leaves). For the whole plant mean values of 9.22% of DM, 8.57% of CP, 58.02% of NDF, 37.59% of ADF, 9.25% of LIG, 28.34% of CEL, 20.42% of HEMI, 2.35% of EE, 14.17% of ASH, 6.91% of NDICP and 6.91% of NFC were obtained; also, statistical differences among plant parts were found (P < 0.05). Despite the low dry matter content, banana plant portions may be utilized as ingredient in ruminant diets, especially in areas where the crop is commonly grown. Table 1. Nutritional composition of the Musa sp. plant

Bromatological composition (%)	Pseudo-stem				Leaves
Base	Center	Tip		Petiole	Lamina
DM	3.93e	4.97d	6.13c		10.38b	20.68a
CP	5.61b	5.87b	5.99b		5.56b	19.82a
NDF	50.63d	55.71c	54.29c		61.34b	68.11a
ADF	33.82c	37.50b	36.15bc		44.24a	36.24bc
LIG	6.84c	7.57c	7.15c		9.90b	14.79a
CEL	26.98c	29.94b	29.01bc		34.34a	21.46d
HEMI	16.81c	18.21b	18.14b		17.10bc	31.86a
EE	1.62b	1.96b	2.07b		1.85b	4.27a
ASH	19.30a	16.73b	13.99c		11.74d	9.12e
NDICP	3.83b	3.72b	3.83b		3.89b	19.26a
NFC	26.68a	23.45a	27.49a		23.41a	17.96b

^a–eStatistical differences in the same row (P < 0.05).