Banana and Plantain Breeding Strategies

Summary

Bananas and plantain (musa spp) are one of the few tropical crops that have not been bred successfully. All presently cultivated varieties are natural selections. The recent spread of diseases such as Black Sigatoka in Latin America and Africa has spurred on research into breeding bananas and plantains for disease resistance. The papers in this book represent an important record for the present status of banana and plantain research worldwide, and the recommendations provide clear guidelines for future research directions.