BANANA BREEDING AT EMBRAPA CASSAVA AND FRUITS

The banana breeding program of the Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa) began in 1976 with the main objective to develop ‘Prata’ and ‘Silk’ type cultivars with good agronomic characteristics and resistance to black leaf streak, Sigatoka leaf spot and Fusarium wilt, which are the main banana diseases found in Brazil. The following genotypes have already been recommended: ‘Caipira’ (AAA), ‘Thap Maeo’ (AAB), ‘Prata Graúda’ (AAB), ‘Prata Baby’ (AAB - Nam), ‘Pacovan Ken’ (AAAB), ‘Japira’ (AAAB), ‘Vitória’ (AAAB), ‘Preciosa’ (AAAB), ‘Tropical’ (AAAB), ‘Maravilha’ (AAAB), ‘Caprichosa’ (AAAB), ‘Garantida’ (AAAB), ‘Princesa’ (AAAB) and ‘Platina’ (AAAB), many of which were obtained by crosses with improved diploids developed by the program. ‘Prata An㒠(AAB) and ‘Pacovan’ (AAB), the main cultivars planted in Brazil, were also recommended by Embrapa from a selection of superior genotypes. In order to reach the goals of the banana breeding program, Embrapa has a germplasm collection with 341 banana accessions, all characterized by morphological and agronomic descriptors and molecular markers. Furthermore, besides the traditional breeding through crosses followed by the selection of superior genotypes, Embrapa also uses modern molecular biology tools, such as those provided by studies of genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics, which should soon be incorporated to allow marker-assisted selection.