Banana breeding was started in Trinidad, West Indies in 1922 and in Jamaica in 1924. The driving force for this breeding programme was to develop improved Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxsyorum F.sp. Cubense) resistant banana for export trade. In 1960, both the programmes were combined under the Jamaica Banana Board. United Fruit Company also started a small breeding programme in Panama in 1920s. In India hybridization work was started at Central Banana Research Station, Adhuthurai, Tamil Nadu in 1949.

1. Banana breeding
Presented by:-
Ankit Gavri (2019A53D)
Deptt. Of horticulture- FSC
CCSHAU, Hisar

2. INTRODUCTION
• Botanical name :- Musa spp.
• Family :- Musaceae
• Chromosome no.-n=11 ,2n=22,33,44
• Naturally banana is triploid in nature
• It is also called as Tree of wisdom or Tree of paradise
or Adam’s fig or Kalpataru
• It is a monocotyledonous ,herbaceous succulent
plant
• Ornamental spp- Musa ornata , M. flaviflora ,
M.velutina

3. ORIGIN & DISTRIBUTION
• Centre of origin- South East Asia
• M. acuminata originated from Malaysia and
M.balbisiana originated from south India.
• Measure producing states are Tamil Nadu,
Maharastra , Karnataka , Gujurat , Andhra
Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh
• In world widely grown in Mexico, Philippines ,
Tanzenia, Thialand , Bangladesh, Indonesia,
Srilanka, Malesia, Cuba

4. History of banana breeding
• Banana breeding was started in Trinidad, West Indies in
1922 and in Jamaica in 1924.
• The driving force for this breeding programme was to
develop improved Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxsyorum F.sp.
Cubense) resistant banana for export trade.
• In 1960, both the programmes were combined under the
Jamaica Banana Board.
• United Fruit Company also started a small breeding
programme in Panama in 1920s.
• In India hybridization work was started at Central Banana
Research Station, Adhuthurai, Tamil Nadu in 1949.

5. Genetic resources
 Musa has about 50 species and this genus is divided into five sections:
• Eumusa: Includes about 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 (2n=44 rarely) e.g. M.acuminata, M.balbisiana,
M.basjoo etc.
• Rhodochlamys: Mostly diploid, spread from India to Indonesia. Five to seven
species are kept in this group. Parthenocarpy is absent in this group e.g.
M.ornata, M.velutina.
• Callimusa: This is of ornamental value and x=10 and 2n =20. It is found in Indo-
China, Malaya and Borneo. Parthenocarpy is absent in this type. It includes
about 5-6 species e.g. M.coccinea.
• Australimusa: Like Callimusa it has x = 10 and 2n=20 chromosome. Species of
this group is common in Queensland and Philippines. Important species of this
group are M. textilis or manilahemp, M.maclavi etc.
• Incertae sedis: It includes M.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 M.beccarii (x=9, 2n=18) from North Borneo.

6. TAXONOMIC SCORING OF BANANA BASED
ON DISTINGUSHING FEATURES
SL NO CHARACTERS M.accuminata M.balbisiana
1 Pseudostem
colour
More or less heavily marked
with black or brown blotches
Blotches slightl or absent
2 Petiolar canal Margin erect or spreading with
scarious wings below, not
clasping pseudostem
Margins not winged
below ,clasping
pseudostem
3 Peduncle Usually downy or hairy Glabrous
4 Ovules Two regular rows in each locule Four irregular rows in
each locule
5 pedicel Short Long
6 Bract shoulder Usually high (0.28) Usually low (0.30)
7 Bract shape Lanceolate or narrowly ovate
tapering sharply from the
shoulder
Broadly ovate , not
tapering sharply

7. CONTD….
SL NO CHARACTERS M.accuminata M.balbisiana
8 Bract curling Bracts roll Bracts lift but not roll
9 Bract apex Acute Obtuse
10 Bract colour Red dull or yellow inside
pink , dull purple
Distinctive, bruwnish purple
outside, bright crimson inside
11 Colour fading Inside bract colour fades to
yellow towards base
Inside bract colour continues
up to base
12 Bract scars Prominent Scarcely prominent
13 Free tepal of male
flower
Variabily corrugated below
tip
Rarely corrugated
14 Male flower colour Creamy white Variably flushed with pink
15 Stigma colour Orange or rich yellow Creamy, pale yellow or pale
pink

8. Genomic classification of Banana
Genome constitution Ploidy level Varieties Scoring
AA 2X Matti , Surya kadali ,
Pisang Lilin
16-23
AAA 3X Gros Michel,
Cavendish
15-21
AAAA 4X Bodles Altafort 15-20
AB 2X Ney poovan 46-48
AAB 3X Poovan, Rasthali,
Nendran, Hill Banana
26-46
ABB 3X Kancha kela, Monthan 59-69
ABBB 4X Klue teparod 63-69

9. Objective of breeding
• To develop dwarf statured banana suitable for high density
planting and to prevent damage from high wind velocity.
• Production of good quality fruits.
• Resistant to biotic and biotic stresses i.e. nematodes,
panama wilt, bunchy top, sigatoka leaf spot, moko disease
and pseudo stem weevil etc.
• To develop varieties with wider agro-ecological adaptability.
• Development of male fertile parthenocarpic diploids with
resistance to major diseases and pests.
• Developing longer finger size.
• Suitability for export.
• Good keeping quality

10. Floral biology
• Spadix type Inflorescence.
• Inflorescence emerges from the center of the pseudostem
10 to 15 month after planting.
• Female, male & Hermaphrodite flowers are present at
same inflorescence.
• The basal nodes at the inflorescence bear pistillate flowers
and the upper nodes bear staminate flowers.
• Protogyny flower, Peduncle elongates as flowers open in
sequence.
• Monoecious plant, produce more male flowers than
female flowers.

12. Male flower
• Male flowers have well
developed anthers, abortive
ovary with slender style and
stigma, tightly enclosed in
bracts which from a conical
structure.
• 5 stamens with long anthers
that may or may not produce
pollen.
• Flower length 7.4 cm

13. Female flower
• lowers have an inferior elongated Female trilocular ovary
with 3 fused carpels bearing 6 petal ( 5 free and 1 fused)
surrounding a thick style and non-functional staminodes
ovaries of female flowers later become the fruit or
fingers.
• Female floewer are larger than male flower.
• Flower length 13.9 cm.

14. Breeding methods
• Introduction
• Hybridization
• Mutation breeding

15. INTRODUCTION
Lady Finger Australia Resistant to
bunchy top virus
Nain MS France Utilisation in crop
improvement.
Velery West indies

16. SELECTION
Gandivi Selection Basrai MH High yield
Udhyam Kenthali Table purpose
Dwarf Cavendish
Madhukar selection
Harichal Dwarf Cavendish MH
Bombay Green Dwarf Cavendish
Pedda AP
Basrai AP

17. hybridisation
Variety Parents Characteristics
H-1(AAB) Agniswer X Pisang Lilin Short duration,resistant to leaf
spot,fusarium wilt, burrowing
nematodes, and has early
ratooning ability
H-2 Vanan X Pisang Lilin Short duration var., tolerant to
leaf spot and nematodes, avg.
bunch wt. is 15-20 kg.
CO-1(AAB) Hybrid of 3-way sequential
crosses
Have typical apple flavour, avg.
bunch wt. is 10 kg.
FHIA-01(Gold finger)
(AAAB)
SH-3142XDwarf Prata High yielder,rest. to
sigatoka,fusarium wilt and
nematod

18. .
FHIA-2(AAAA) WilliamXSH-3393 Highly resistant to sigatoka
but susceptible to fusarium
wilt
FHIA-3(AABB) SH-3386XSH-3320 Drought tolerant, dwarf var.
resistant to sigatoka disease
FHIA-17 HighgateXSH-3362
FHIA-21 AVP-67XSH-3142 Good plantain, resistant to
black sigatoka and produce
large bunch.
BITA-1 BluggoeXCalcutta Resistant to black sigatoka and
fusarium wilt.
BITA-2 Pisang AwakXMusa balbisiana Resistant to black sigatoka and
fusarium wilt.

19. MUTATION
variety Parent Characteristics Method
Giant Parfitt Dwarf Parfitt Resistant to wilt Irradiation
Navaria Grand Naine Semi dwarf,High
yield.
Austria Irradiation
Motta Pooven Pooven Bud mutation
Moongil Nendran No male phase
bunch as one or
two hands with
big fruit
India
Harichal
Pedda Pacha Semi dwarf India
Fatom-1 Grand Naine More yield

20. Polyploidy(tetraploids)
Variety Charicteristics
GOLDFINGER RESISTANT TO SIGATOKA
FHIA-2 RESISTANT TO SIGATOKA
FHIA-3 DROUGHT TOLERANT
FHIA-17 GOOD QUALITY
FHIA-21 PRODUCE LARGE BUNCH
BITA-1 RESISTANT TO SIGATOKA,FUSARIUM WILT
BITA-2 RESISTANT TO SIGATOKA,FUSARIUM WILT

22. SOURCE OF GENETIC RESISTANCE:-
• Burrowing nematode:
Kadali,Octaman,NeyPoovan,Pisa-ng Lilinn.
• Panama wilt
Basrai,Poovan,Champa,Cavendish,Mongil,Gian
t Governor,Robusta.
• BUNCHY TOP: Poovan
• Drought : M. balbiasana, Pisang Awak

23. • FUSARIUM WILT:- BITA-1,BITA2
• LEAF SPOT:- H1,H2
• DROUGHT:- Karpuravalli,FHIA-2
• Salt:- Karpuravalli
• HIGH YIELD:- FHIA-6
• GOOD KEEPING QUALITY:- Hill banana,Ney
Povan.
• Good pulp quality:- Gold finger