Why de-suckering is practiced in banana?

De-suckering is the process of removal of suckers. A number of suckers from the underground stem are produced during the life cycle of banana resulting in intra-mat competition through creation of multiple sinks and intensification of root and rhizome competition for space, water and nutrients. Therefore, growth of excess suckers should be discouraged before they become too large and unmanageable to interfere with growth of the parent plant.