Here I am uploading lecture on Banana Breeding.

1. INNOVATIVE APPROACHES IN
FRUIT BREEDING
CROP: BANANA
CREDIT CODE: FSC 601
CREDIT HOURS: 3 + 0 PRESENTED BY : REETIKA SHARMA
(J-21-D-454-A)

2. INTRODUCTION
• Scientific name: Musa spp.
• Family: Musaceae
• Chromosome no. 2n = 2X = 22,33,44 (33:
Cultivated type)
• Origin: Indo-Malayan (South East Asia)
• Apple of Paradise
Hey.. Friends one point to
be noticed about me that
I am a heavy feeder of
Potassium

3. ANTIQUE
FRUIT CROP
APPLE OF
PARADISE
TREE OF
WISDOM
ADAMS FIG
TREE OF
PARADISE
PLANT OF
VIRTUE

4. Hotspots of Banana
West
Africa
East
Africa

5. CURRENT SCENARIO
AREA
INDIA : 923 000’ Ha
PRODUCTION
INDIA : 33379 000’ MT
SOURCE: NATIONAL HORTICULTURE BOARD , 2020-21 (THIRD ADVANCE
ESTIMATES) OF AREA AND PRODUCTION OF HORTICULTURE CROPS

6. International Production : Bananas
PRODUCTION (MT)
INDIA : 31504
CHINA : 11513
INDONESIA : 8182
BRAZIL : 6637
ECUADOR : 6023
PHILLIPINES : 5955
GUATEMALA : 4476
ANGOLA : 4115
TANZANIA : 3419
COSTA RICA : 2528
SHARE (%)
INDIA : 26.29
CHINA : 9.61
INDONESIA : 6.83
BRAZIL : 5.54
ECUADOR : 5.03
PHILLIPINES : 4.97
GUATEMALA : 3.74
ANGOLA : 3.43
TANZANIA : 2.85
COSTA RICA : 2.11
SOURCE: Food & Agricultural Organisation (FAO), 2020

7. • The work on banana breeding started in Trinidad, West
Indies in1922 and in Jamaica in 1924.
• The major objective of this work was to develop
improved Fussarium wilt resistant banana for export
trade.
• 1949 : First hybridization work was initiated at Central
Banana Research Station, Aduthurai, Tamil Nadu.
AREA OF BANANA
BREEDING WORK
BEGINS

8. Origin and center of diversity
• Plants of Musaceae family as a whole originated in hot regions
of Tropical South East Asia (Simmonds, 1962).
• Malayan region is considered as the primary centre of origin of
Musa accuminata (AA, AAA cultivars) and from there it spread
to Burma and India where Musa bulbisiana is the native in
Indo-Burman peripheral areas, natural hybridization between
Musa accuminata and Musa bulbisiana types occurred.
• Thus, India is regarded as the major centre of origin for more
than 300 types ( AB, AAB and ABB cultivars). Presently more
than 600 types of cultivated and wild types are reported.

9. • The present day banana cultivars have evolved through natural
hybridization, mutation and polyploidy which are perpetuated
through vegetative propagation.
• Presently, the cultivars of banana has spread through the
warmer countries situated in the region between 300 N and 300
S of equator. It is grown in around 130 countries spread across
Asia, Latin America, Africa, Australia.
CONTINUE….

10. M. acuminata M. balbisiana
AA BB
AB
AAA
ABB
AAB
PARTHENOCARPY
ABNORMAL
MEIOSIS

11. Germplasm Resources
Singh (1989) reported that the collection of different
genomic groups belonging Musa genotypes in India as
mentioned below:
Related species and genomic group: Number
• Musa wild species 06
• Musa AA group 08
• Musa AAA group 48
(commercial or cultivated spp.)
• Musa AAAA group 01
• Musa BB group 01
• Musa AB group 12

12. • Musa AAB group 84
(commercial or cultivated spp)
• Musa ABB group 78
(commercial or cultivated spp)
• Musa ABBB group 03
• Unidentified 52
CONTINUE……..

13. The germplasm resources has been conserved in field
gene banks as well as in tissue culture form in labs in
different national institutes and SAU’s.
• IIHR, Bengaluru 250
• TNAU, Coimbatore 243
• Banana Research Station, Kanara 256
• AICRP-(TF)- Centre, Arabhavi 64
• CHES, Ranchi 109
• FRS, Kahikuchi (AAU) 95

14. • Banana research station, HAJIPUR 115
• GAU, Gandevi 79
• BRS, Kovvur (AAU) 51
• NRC, Trichy (TN) 597
• NBPGR , Trichur 412
• Rajendra Agriculture University 81

15. SEED
STORAGE
FIELD GENE
BANK
IN VITRO
CONSERVATION
ONLY FOR WILD
SPECIES
SEEDS ARE ORTHODOX
IN THEIR STORAGE
CRYOGENIC STORAGE
EASILY CHRACTERISED
AND EVALUATED
VULNERABLE TO
ATTACK BY PESTS
AND DISEASES
ACCESSIONS LOST FROM
FIELD COLLECTIONS DUE
TO NATURAL DISASTERS
MAINTAINED AS STERILE
PLANTLETS ON A NUTRIENT
MEDIUM UNDER SUITABLE
EBNVIRONMENTAL
CONDITIONS
LARGEST COLLECTION
MAINTAINED BY INIBAP

16. CRYOPRESERVATION
PROMISING
OPTION
PROTECTS FROM
CONTAMINATION
MERISTEMS SHOULD
BE PRESERVED IN
LIQUID NITROGEN (-
196 DEGREE CELSIUS)
WITHOUT
MODIFICATIONS PLANT
MATERIAL CAN BE
STORED
SUITABLE
FOR A RANGE
OF MUSA
GENOTYPES
MORE
PRACTICAL
FOR
LONGTERM
STORAGE

17. Yield equal to present Cavendish varieties
Quality, especially finger length, finger curvature and finger pedicel
strength, equal to present Cavendish varieties
Flavour ripening and carrying qualities similar to present varieties
Pseudostem height similar to Grand Nain or atleast less than the Cavendish
varieties such as Velery, Poyo and Robusta
Foliage characteristics and production effeciency not inferior to Grand nain
Resistances to all known races of Fusarium wilt, Sigatoka, leaf spots and also
tolerance to Radopholus similis.
Stover and Simmonds (1987) have presented a list of plant characters
that have potential value in breeding an ideotype for export trade.

18. Robinson, 1996 states that Grand Nain is not ideal in all aspects because it is highly
susceptible to black sigatoka disease, race 4 of Fusarium wilt, burrowing menatode
and Bunchy top virus and also susceptible to drought or cold resistant.
• Incresed dwarfness
• Drought tolerance
• Low temperature tolerance (below 16 degree celsius) for sub
tropical regions
• Resistance to black sigatoka, Fusarium wilt, burrowing nematode
and weevil borer
• Reduce dependency of chemicals
• Yield, harvest index and finger length better than Grand Nain
• Ripening, transport quality and storability of fruits equal to or
better than Grand Nain.

19. Objectives of Breeding
• To develop dwarf stature banana suitable for HDP and to
prevent damage through high wind velocity.
• Production of good quality fruits.
• Resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses that is nematode,
panama wilt, bunchy top, sigatoka, moko disease, rhizome
weevil etc.
• To develop varieties with wider agro-ecological or wider
adoptability, varieties with low water requirements .
• To develop male fertile parthenocarpic diploids with resistance
to major diseases and pests.
• To develop balanced bunch with longer finger length,
suitability for export market.
• Good keeping quality.

20. Banana is a herbaceous monocot consists of
pseudostem, rhizome, leaf blades and inflorescence.
Rhizome is a real stem on which large number of
buds or eyes develop. Initiation of banana
inflorescence and bunch takes place in the heart of
pseudostem. The genes Musa has 50 species and this
is further divided into 5 section.

21. 1. Emusa :
This includes 13-15 species of edible and wild banana. The chromosome number
is 2n=22 in wild species and most of the cultivated varieties are having 2n=33(
Triploids).
Musa accuminata
Musa balbisiana
Musa basjoo
2. Rhodoclamys :
It consists of 5-7 species mostly diplod spread from India to Indonasia.
Parthenocarpy is absent in this group.
Musa ornate
Musa velutina.
EXAMPLE:
EXAMPLE:

22. 3. Callimusa :
This is of ornamental value x=10, 2x=20. It is found in Indo-
china, Malaya and Bronco. Parthenocarpy is absent in this
group.
Musa coccinea, it includes 5-6 species.
4. Australimusa:
2X = 20 species of this group is common in queensland to
philiphines. Important species are
Musa textiles abaca or mamilahemp.Musa maclayi.
EXAMPLE:
EXAMPLE:

23. 5. Incerta seedis :
It includes Musa ingens ( x=7 , 2n = 14) of New guinea
which grows to a height of over 10 m. This is the largest
known herb.
Another species in this group is Musa beccarii ( x=9 , 2n
= 18 ) from North Borneo.

24. Genomic Classification
Most of the edible cultivars of banana are derived from
interspecific and intraspecific hybridization between Musa
accuminata and Musa bulbisiana. Majority of them are
triploids and sterile (2n=3x=33) and few are tetraploids.
Some of local types which are popular diploids. All banana and
plantain landraces are formers selection from hybridization of
Musa accuminata and Musa balbisiana. which contributes A
and B genomes respectively.

25. Scoring technique
• Simmonds and Shepords 1955 reported a scoring technique to
indicate the relative contribution of 2 wild species for the
constitution of a given cultivar.
• 15 distinguishing characters between M. acuminate and M.
balbisiana were identified by them.
• Score 1 was given for each character to which cultivar agreed
with Musa accuminata and score 5 was given for each
character to which agreed to Musa balbisiana .
• Intermediate expression of the character were assigned scores
of 2, 3 or 4 depending to their intensity.

26. • According to this technique, the score ranges from 15 ( 15 x 1
) for Musa accuminata to 75 (15 x 5) for Musa balbisiana
cultivars would have larger score if it were derived from Musa
balbisiana and scores will be smaller if it is derived from
Musa accuminata.
• Depending upon the contribution of these two parents to the
constitution of the progeny and combining their chromosomal
status. The naturally occurring banana can be grouped in 7
categories as follows :

27. Sl No. Genome
constitution
Ploidy
level
Score and nomenclature
1. AA 2X 16-23 Eg: Matti, Kadali
2. AAA 3X 15-21 Eg: Gross Michel ,
Cavendish and Robusta
3. AAAA 4X 15-20 Eg: Bodless altaforte
(synthetic hybrid of West Indies )
4. AB 2X 46-49 Eg: Neypoovan
5. AAB 3X 24-46 Eg: Champa
6. ABB 3X 59-63 Eg: Kanchkela
BBB 3X Saba
7. ABBB 4X 63-69 Eg: Klueteparad
AAAB 4X Alan
AABB 4X Kalamagol

28. Lady finger/ Finger
banana/ Sugar banana
Latakan.

29. Yelakki / Ney Poovan

30. Gross michael Grand naine Robusta

32. • 'Mysore', also known as 'Fillbasket' and 'Poovan'.
• Other common names: ' Mysore', also known as 'Pisang
Keling', 'Thousand Grain', 'Fillbasket'.
• It is thought to have been introduced into Dominice in 1900
but the only place where it is of any importance in the New
World is Trinidad where it is cultivated as shade for cacao.
• The plant is large and vigorous, immune to Panama disease
and nearly so to Sigatoka; very hardy and drought tolerant.
• It bears large, compact bunches of medium sized, plump, thin
skinned, attractive, bright yellow fruits of subacid flavor.

33. Latundan' is a popular dessert banana in the
Philippines. 'Tundan' (Philippines), 'Pisang
Rastali' (Malaysia)

34. • Pome cultivars are common in India and Brazil
(where it is known as Prata). In Australia, the Pome
cultivar 'Pacha Nadan' is marketed under the name
Lady's Finger.
• The fruit bunch develops at an angle while the rachis
points vertically down. The fruit apex is often bottle-
necked.

35. French plantain Horn Plantain

36. • The fruit is named for its flavour and
texture, sweet and smooth. When
fully ripe, the flesh can be eaten with
a spoon.
• Externally, the fruit is colored a
silver-green, due to a heavy coating
of wax.
• Like tall bananas of the ABB Group,
are wind resistant because of their
strong pseudostems and root
systems.
• The fruit bunches are small, bearing
seven to nine hands.
• The fruit are 7 to 9 inches in length
and exhibit a characteristic silvery
blue color when unripe.
Blue java

37. • This is the most widely
disseminated ABB
cultivar; 70% of all
bananas that are grown in
Thailand are of this clone.
• It is vigorous and
tolerates adverse
conditions, especially
drought, but is susceptible
to race 1 of Panama
disease. Pisang Awak

38. • The bunch stalk is relatively
short. The bunches are extremely
compact with dozens of small
angular bananas tightly grown
together.
• Fruit tips are blunt.
• This‘Saba’is very tall,17 to >20
ft in height.
Saba type

39. Numerical taxanomy based on genomic contribution and
ploidy, Simmonds and Weatherup 1990 confirmed that musa
landraces should be designated as:
• AAA -Desert banana ( Cavendish group )
-Cooking and Beer bananas of East Africa.
• AAB -Plantain
-Desert banana of Brazil and India
• ABB -Cooking bananas of Asia
Note: The best edible banana and most preferred cultivars in
export must belong to AAA group.

41. Floral biology
• The inflorescence is a complex spike , consist of large number
of proximal clusters of female flowers which develop into
edible fruits.
• Numerous male flowers usually in clusters are initiated at the
distal most end.
• In every cluster a single common bract covers the flowers
which are present in 2 whorls. Among these female ones opens
first at a very slow rate and by the time male flowers open the
stigma receptive stage of female has already lapsed.

44. The female flowers have a characteristics yellow white or
creamish perianth a well developed 3 locular inferior
ovary with large number of ovules, a single large style ,
stigma in 2 lobed and 5 staminoids . In contrast the male
flower has 5 stamens long anthers and one abortive
ovary.
Male flowers

48. The seed formation in wild banana is of
great importance as the pulp development
is related to number of developing seed.
The edible bananas are vegetatively
parthenocarpic and develop without
pollination as their ovules shrivels at an
early stage of growth , and viable pollen is
not produced.

49. • The edible banana are generally sterile , despite the fact that
large quantity of pollen is produced, the sterility including
factors vary from clone to clone and is primarily influenced by
ploidy level and genomic constitution whether mono or
bispecific .
• Although large number of pollen grains are produced but
being large in size and sticky in nature , they rapidly loose
their viability and lack long storage.

50. Reasons for seedlessness in edible banana:
• Vegetative parthenocarpy.
• Development of fruit without pollination.
• Differential time of flower opening ( female open first and
male towards end ), stigma receptivity elapses.
• Shriveling of ovules at an early stage.
• Viable pollens are not produced ( pollen grains are large and
sticky –rapidly loose their viability )

51. The plantain land races have been defined in 4 sub group
based on their morphology of inflorescence i.e.
• French horn plantain : Inflorescence is complete, hands
consisting of large finger and many hermaphrodite flowers.
• Eg: Boofa, Koi etc.
• French plantain : Complete inflorescence, at maturity hands
having many fruits . inflorescence axis covered with persisting
hermaphrodite and male flowers. Male bud is large and
persistant.
• Eg: Nendran

52. • True horn plantain : Incomplete inflorescence ,
hermaphrodite and male flowers are absent. Inflorescence axis
terminates in a tail or deformed glomerales.
• Eg: Gabon-3, One hand planty.
• False horn plantain : Inflorescence is incomplete, hands
consisting of large fingers followed by few hermaphrodite
flowers.
• Eg: Agbaba, Esang corne

53. Floral biology
• Banana produces spadix types of inflorescence. It produces a
series of different types of flowers i.e, female ,hermaphrodite
and male in the same floral stalk.
• Chalakyan in 1961 reported a dual factor hypothesis for
flowering which suits banana. According to this one
Gibberllin- like substance acts upon the growth and elongation
of main stem and the other Anthesin acts as flowering harmone
to produce flower. Most common types of inflorescence
consists of pistillate.

54. PISTILLATE FLOWER

55. • I type :- Flowers at basal portion which develops into fruits
with deciduous staminate flowers towards distal end. Some
times male buds continue to produce staminate flowers till the
fruits ripen but in some groups heart withers and rib dries up
long before maturity of the bud.
Eg: Poovan, Monthan and Kadali
• II type :- Group of inflorescence does not consists of male
bud. The whole inflorescence bears pistillate flowers and
hence all the flowers into fruits.
Eg: Kunnan , Ayirank-Rasthali and Moongli
• III type :- Basal flowers develop into fruits followed by
persistant male flower consisting of green rudimentary ovaries
with persistant perianth and bracts.
Eg: Dwarf Cavendish , Nendran and Kunnan etc.

56. • IV type:- Basal portion is having female flowers develop into
fruits followed by persistant male flowers which is again
followed by deciduous male flowers. The bracts of persistant
male flowers are deciduous.
Eg: Rasthali, Chakkarakeli
• Ovary :- Trilocular with axile placentation.
• Note : Edible bananas fruits are parthenocarpic and developed
without pollination.
• Seeded type- Pollination-bees and birds .

57. AXILE PLACENTATION

58. Inheritance pattern :
• Edibility in cultivated banana is a result of combination of
seedlessness and parthenocarpy and is not associated with
polyploidy since edible diploids which are seedless ( AA-
Pisang linin) and (AB - Yelakki bale/ Ney Poovan ) do exists.
• In addition edible bananas are mostly sterile from both male
and female sexes with some exceptions parthenocarpy does
not appears in M.balbisiana.
• Parthenocarpy is controlled by single dominant gene.

59. Breeding methods and
achievements:
1.Introduction:
Some of introduction made to bring resistance source to biotic
stresses like resistance to bunchy top virus.
Eg:
• Lady finger ( EC 160160) from Australia
• Nain MS – France ,
• Velery from West Indies
• FHIA hybrids – Honduras (screening for wilt resistance , leaf
spot and high yield )

60. Hybridization
• In India hybridization work started at CBRS , Adulthurai Tamil
Nadu in 1949. Afterwards were carried at different places
including IIHR , NRC , TNAU and KAU.
• Peak anthesis: 7:00 to 10:00 am, therefore pollination is
carried out during this period. The undehised anther of male
flower are collected and twisted gently to force them to
dehisce.
• Using a soft hair brush the pollen grain are taken out and
smeared gently over the stigmatic surface of the female
flowers opened on the day of pollination.
• The pollination flowers are to be covered with soft cloth bag.
Most of the seeds (74.9%) are found in 1/3 part of the distal
end of first and about 20.9% in 1/3 mid parts and the rest at
4.2% in the proximal 1/3 .

61. Triploid breeding :
The crossing of diploid and tetraploids results in the
production of triploid having three sets of
chromosomes, one from one parent and two from
another parent. Natural AAA triploid arose from the
AA cultivars by chromosomal restitution at meiosis
as a evolutionary ovary.

62. Tetraploid breeding:
Tetraploids are bred by crossing a triploid female (High gate
AAA) with diploid male (AA or AB).
AAA × AA/AB
AAAA/AAAB
(Diploids obtained from these crosses are
recovered and doubled by colchicin treatment
to produce tetraploids.)

63. • A number of good tetraploids clones exists but are yet to be
exploited. Important tetraploids for commercial adoption are
• E.g. Gold finger (FHIA-01-AAAB)
• FHIA-02-AAAA
• FHIA-03-AABB
• FHIA-17 , FHIA-21
• BITA-1, BITA-2.

64. Mutation breeding:
• Several natural sports of well established commercial clones
have been recognized.
E.g
• High gate (AAA) : is a semi dwarf mutant of Gross
Michel(AAA).
• Motta Poovan : sport of Poovan(AAB).
• Aiyiranka Rasthali : Rasthali (silk).
• Barhari Malbhog : Malbhog.
• Krishna Vazhai : Virupaksha.
• Smbrani monthan : Monthan.
• Novaria :developed through gamma
irradiation of the clone Grand Naine (early flowering with high
bunch yield)

65. Biotechnology:
• Plant tissue culture and molecular biology techniques are applied
to enhance the handling and improvement of Banana. Important
application of a cell biology are micropropogation for rapid
multiplication and germplasm exchange, embryo culture/rescue
for invitro seed germination, cryopreservation of germplasm and
genome manipulation through genetic engineering using cell
suspension or protoplast culture.
• A gene responsible for production of vaccine used in
immunization has been transferred into commercial variety
producing vaccine.

66. Research Centers
• FHIA : Fundacian Hondurena de Investigation
Agricola.Honduras(1959)
• IITA : International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nigeria.
• EMBRAPA : Empresa Brasilliera de persquisa Agropecauria das
Almas, Brazil(1982).
• CIRAD : la eecherche Agromomique pour le Development.
France ( 1983).
• TBRI : Taiwan Banana Research Institute. Taiwan (1971)
• NRC on Banana : National Research centre for Banana. Trichur (TN)
1994.

67. Sources of resistance:
• Name of clone/cultivars Name of biotic and
abiotic stresses
• M. bulbisiana :Drought.
• Culcutta-4 :Black sigatoka
• Pisang Lilin :Panama wilt (Race-1)
• SH3142 (Triploid hybrid) :Resistance race of
Fusarium.
• M.accuminata sp malacensis :Resistance race 1 and 2 of
Fusarium.
• M. accuminata sp burmaniac :Resistance Bacterial wilt
race-2, Moko disease.
• SH 699
• Pisang Jari Buaya :Resistance Burrowing
Nematode.
• Tangat, Anaikomban :Resistance for Nematode.

68. Important Hybrids of Banana:
• H-1 : Agnishwar X Pisang Linin
Short cropping cycle, resistant to , fusarium wilt, leaf spot and
burrowing nematode. Developed by KAU, Kanara. Early
ratiooning ability, average bunch weight- 14 to 16kg.
• H-2 : Vannan X Pisang Lilin- KAU, Kanara.
Tollerant to leaf spot and Nematode 15-20 kg.

69. • CO-1 : Kadali X (Kallar Ladan X M. bulbisiana clones
called Sawai)
• Promising Pome hybrid-TNAU. It retains typical apple
flavor of Virupakshi even when grow in plains.
• Belongs to AAAB group . Fruits have apple flavour ,
highly resistant to Black sigatoka, Fusarium wilt and
burrowing Nematodes.
• Belongs to AAAA group , highly resistant to sigatoka
but susceptible to fusarium wilt.

70. 1. FHIA-1 – (SH 3142 X Dwarf Prata)
• Its full designation is Musa acuminata × balbisiana (AAAB
Group) 'FHIA-01 Goldfinger'.(specifically against the black
sigatoka) and crop-yielding.
• 'FHIA-01' plants are cold- and wind-tolerant and produce
higher quality fruits in sub-tropical, than tropical, conditions.
• 'FHIA-01' is tolerant/resistant to Fusarium wilt and black leaf
streak (black Sigatoka) and susceptible to Sigatoka leaf spot
(yellow sigatoka) and nematodes.

71. 2. FHIA- 2 – Williams X SH-3393
• Also known as 'Mona Lisa'. ‘FHIA-02’ plants can be
distinguished by their reddish pseudostem that has no, or very
few, blotches, and petiole channels that are fully open. 'FHIA-
02' is used as a dessert banana.

72. 3. FHIA-03
• Also named 'Sweetheart'. 'FHIA-03' was released by FHIA in
1987 and is a dwarf cooking banana, bred from parents in the
Bluggoe
• sub-group. 'FHIA-03' can be distinguished by the pseudostem
colour which is bright light green with no, or very few,
blotches. 'FHIA-03' is the only FHIA hybrid with this
characteristic.

73. 3.FHIA-03

74. 4. FHIA-17
• It has excellent agronomic performance and is considered to be
resistant to Mycosphaerella fungi, tolerant to Fusarium
oxysporum f. sp. cubense and banana weevil and susceptible to
Banana bunchy top virus, Xanthomonas campestris pv.
musacearum and the burrowing nematode Radopholus similis.
• 'FHIA-17' is a dessert banana that tastes similar to 'Gross
Michel', one of its parent cultivars, but has softer flesh.

75. 4. FHIA-17

76. 5. FHIA-25
• 'FHIA-25' is a cooking banana that was selected in 1997. It
was bred by FHIA to be resistant to black leaf streak.
• The plant is short (2.5 to 3 m) and pseudostem is green to light
green with more or less abundant dark brown blotches.

77. • ICTA- Trinidad:
• IC-2 : Gross Michel (AAA) X AA(wild)
• Bodless Altafort : 2x X 2x
• FHIA- Honduras: FHIA-1 to FHIA -27
• EMBRAPA Brazil:
• Psionia - Poovan(2x) X wild(2x)
• Caiprh : 4x X 2x
• IITA Nigeria:
• BITA-1,2 - AAB X AA
• PITA -1 - ABB X AA
• PITA 5 - 4x X 4x
• PITA 7 - 3x X 4x

78. NEWS ARTICLES

79. The latest variant of the
fusarium wilt disease, called
Tropical Race 4 (TR4), can
“survive for decades in the soil,
making it difficult to control,”
the IAEA says. The focus on
mutation breeding reflects that
developing and deploying “new
banana varieties with effective
disease resistance” is the only
long-term response to the
disease.
The IAEA will be supporting
the affected countries over the
next five years in disease
detection, surveillance, and
containment with the help of
nuclear and related
technologies.

83. Future Outcomes
• Explore and collect genetic stocks in poorly
explored areas and diverse ecologies
• Characterize and evaluate genetic stocks of
potential interest in diverse ecologies
• Make available a wide spectrum of genetic
resources to breeders, including outsider
specimens of interest.

84. • Characterize fruit qualities of diploid germplasm
• Foster research on the genetics of fruit quality
traits
• Share knowledge among the breeders of the
performance of genetic stocks used in breeding
• Facilitate the exchange of basic genetic stocks of
breeding interest
• Encourage and facilitate the sharing of improved
diploids between breeding programs