Making banana breeding more effective

Description

There is a need for more diverse bananas with far more diverse genetic backgrounds which meet specific objectives such as fresh fruit, cooking bananas or varieties dedicated to processing. This chapter shows how diversification objectives can be achieved by taking into account sexual reproductive barriers. The objective is to produce large populations of hybrids to facilitate selection of genotypes with combinations of the right characteristics.

Table of contents

1 Introduction 2 The need for sustainable genetic solutions 3 Evolution and domestication resulting in gamete sterility of contemporary varieties and consequences for breeding 4 Strategies in banana breeding 5 Conclusion 6 Where to look for further information 7 Acknowledgements 8 References