Go Bananas

Banana are native to Southeast Asia.  The edible cultivars are derived from two wild species : M. acuminata and M. balbisiana.   The derived cultivars are  grouped into : AAA/AA, AB AAB, ABB, ABBB, BB/BBB, depending on whether the clones are pure acuminate or balbisiana; diploid, tripoid or tetraploid hybrids of the two species, with A representing the acuminata genome (set of genes) and B representing the balbisiana genome. 

Musa acuminata AA

Musa acuminata  AA

Musa acuminata  AAA

Musa acuminata  AAA

Musa acuminata  AAA

Musa x paradisiaca AAB 

 

Musa x paradisiaca AAB

Musa balbisiana BBB

Source :  Commercial Banana Cultivars in ASEAN, in Banana – Fruit Development, Postharvest Physiology, Handling and Marketing in ASEAN, 1990, Valmayor et al, ASEAN-COFAF, Jakarta, Indonesia.