ABSTRACT
Most edible banana (Musa spp.) are triploids which arose from natural crosses between the Musa acuminata subspecies providing the A genome, or from interspecific crosses between M. acuminata and M. balbisiana, the latter providing the B genome. Banana is a major staple food and a source of income for millions of people across East and Central Africa, such as in Uganda with 250 kg/ person/year (Simmonds 1966). The crop mainly consists of the East African highland cooking and beer bananas (EAHB) (AAA-EA genome), with a limited amount of cooking (ABB genome) and dessert bananas (AAA and AAB genome) and plantain (AAB genome).
