Banana Breeding Progress and Challenges

With the current world population growth of 1.2%, the earth can expect to house 9-10 billion people by 2050. Food production, too, must increase to accommodate these numbers. Easy growing, high calorie, nutritious foods, such as bananas are the top priority as a solution to this imminent problem. The first comprehensive compendium on bananas in recent years, Banana Breeding: Progress and Challenges provides in-depth coverage of all aspects of banana breeding and genetics, including biotechnology. A wide-ranging compilation of chapters by various experts, the book begins with a chapter on the general plant morphology of Musa. It continues with chapters such as Evolution and Genetic Relationships in Bananas and Plantains, Genetic Resources for Banana Improvement, Genomes, Cytogenetics, Flow Cytometry of Musa, and Genetics of Important Traits in Musa as well as two chapters that cover the major diseases and pests of banana. The central focus of the book is encompassed in chapters such as Reproductive Biology, Breeding Techniques, Mutations and Cultivar Development of Banana, Biotechnology in Musa Improvement, and Genotype by Environment Interaction and Musa Improvement. The latter chapter offers tools for selecting both narrowly adapted and broadly adapted cultivars. The chapters on quality improvement of cultivated Musa and postharvest processed products provide researchers and teachers with information to improve quality aspects of banana along with information on how to reduce postharvest losses.

General Plant Morphology of MusaDeborah Karamura, Eldad Karamura, and Guy BlommeEvolution and Genetic Relationships in Banana and PlantainsUma Subbaraya, Marimuthu S. Saraswathi, and Michael PillayGenetic Resources for Banana ImprovementMarkku Häkkinen and Richard WallaceGenomes, Cytogenetics, and Flow Cytometry of MusaMichael Pillay and Abdou TenkouanoGenetics of Important Traits in MusaEli Khayat and Rodomiro OrtizMajor Diseases of BananaGuy Blomme, Simon Eden-Green, Mohammed Mustaffa,Bartholemew Nwauzoma, and Raman ThangaveluIntegrated Pest Management of BananaThomas Dubois and Daniel L. CoyneReproductive BiologyJeanie Anne Fortescue and David William TurnerBreeding TechniquesAbdou Tenkouano, Michael Pillay, and Rodomiro OrtizMutations and Cultivar Development of BananaShri Mohan Jain, Bradley Till, Prasnna Suprasanna, and Nicolas RouxBiotechnology in Musa ImprovementLeena TripathiGenotype by Environment Interaction and Musa ImprovementRodomiro Ortiz and Abdou TenkouanoQuality Improvement of Cultivated MusaEdson Perito Amorim, Sebastião de Oliveira e Silva,Vanusia Batista de Oliveira Amorim, and Michael PillayPostharvest Processed Products from BananaCherukatu Kalathil Narayana and Michael PillayPropagation Methods in MusaMichael Pillay, Christopher A. Cullis, David Talengera, and Leena TripathiHybrid Distribution to Farmers: Adoption and ChallengesAbdou Tenkouano, Michael Pillay, and Ousmane CoulibalyMolecular Breeding of Other Vegetatively Propagated Crops: Lessons for BananaMichael Pillay, Abdou Tenkouano, and Rodomiro OrtizFuture ProspectsRodomiro Ortiz, Michael Pillay, and Abdou TenkouanoIndex

Michael Pillay, Ph.D. is an associate professor at Vaal University of Technology in Vanderbijlpark, South Africa. Abdou Tenkouano, Ph.D. is a counselor at the Research for Development Council at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Croydon, United Kingdom.