PR-Giants

The nomenclature system used to classify banana cultivars was developed by Norman Simmonds and Kenneth Shepherd in 1955. It classifies cultivated bananas into genome groups, according to the relative contribution of their ancestral wild species, and into subgroups, sets of closely related cultivars. This system eliminates almost all the difficulties and inconsistencies of a taxonomy based on Musa paradisiaca and Musa sapientum. However, due to difficulties in assigning certain cultivars to a subgroup, and to a lesser extent to a group, there are inconsistencies in the way the system has been applied. Adding to the confusion is the continued use of Latin binomials to classify cultivated bananas. Cultivated bananas are unusual in not having a Latin scientific name.

In this system, bananas, at least the ones that are related to Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana, are classified according to the relative contribution of these species designated by the letter A, for acuminata, and B, for balbisiana. A cultivar is assigned to a genome group according to the number of chromosome sets in its genome (its ploidy) and the species that donated them. Diploid cultivars can belong to the AA or AB genome group, while triploid cultivars fall into three genome groups: AAA, AAB and ABB.

Some taxonomists recognize a BBB genome group, but its existence has not been conclusively demonstrated. Tetraploid cultivars are mostly hybrids produced by breeders.


Scoring system

The system is based on 15 characters that were chosen because they are different in Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. Each character is scored on a scale from one (typical Musa acuminata) to five (typical Musa balbisiana). The possible total scores range from a minimum of 15 to a maximum of 75. The expected scores are 15 for AA and AAA, 35 for AAB, 45 for AB, 55 for ABB and 75 for BB.

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15,000+ Varieties

brod

Thanks PR-Giants for the excellent links. However the link to the B genotype does not work.

pitangadiego

Excellent links.

I think it would take a week to fill out the descriptor list for even one banana.

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Encanto Farms Nursery
http://encantofarms.com
We Be Bananas
http://webebananas.com

ez

This pdf file contains a lot of information on banana cultivars.
Farmers’ Handbook on Introduced and Local Banana Cultivars in the Philippines

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ez

Brief Description of Banana Cultivars Available from the University of Hawaii Seed Program pdf file

Banana and plantain—an overview with emphasis on Pacific island cultivars. pdf file

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ez

Catalogue of introduced and local banana cultivars in the Philippines


Bioversity International guide to FHIA bananas http://growables.org/information/Tro...HIAhybrids.pdf


Multilingual multiscript plant name database - Sorting Musa Cultivars


Banana physicochemical and functional differentiation of dessert and cooking banana during ripening – a key for understanding consumer preferences.

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ez

TARS Musa Catalog.pdf file


Pohnpi Bananas
A Photo Collection
CAROTENOID-RICH VARIETIES
By Lois Englberger and Adelino Lorens - pdf file


The banana cultivar checklist is a list of of banana cultivar names and the groups into which they are classified.

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ez

Ken at HawaiiFruit.net gave me permission to share Big Island Bananas Poster.

Thanks Ken

Enjoy everyone

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robguz24

I have that banana poster on my office wall! There are a few errors, of course. FHIA-18 is Bananza and SH-3640 is High Noon. The Pisang Mas doesn't look correct, and is usually called Sucrier here or Kluay Khai. Golden Pillow is an AAB. Putalinga is a Tongan type, not a true Hawaiian Popo'ulu type. Tall Red is the same as Cuban/Jamaican Red as far as I know, and the two Dwarf Reds are probably the same. Although people here seem to have or at least believe the Tall Reds come in 3 different sizes. Great poster though.

This is the 2nd (latest) version I think. Hopefully they will do it again and make it larger.

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My micro-farm

Stay on my Big Island banana farm cottage

Yuri Barros

Nice thread.............

PR-Giants

Symptoms of banana streak virus (left) and cucumber mosaic virus (right) on the same banana leaf.
(Photo: Ben Lockhart, University of Minnesota)

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15,000+ Varieties

Going Bananas

PRG
Thank you on the excellent links you provided.
Alot of reference material and information.
BRAVO

PR-Giants

Illustrated Guide to the Identification of Banana Varieties in the South Pacific - 1995

IDENTIFICATI0N OF VARIETIES

Identification of banana varieties is
difficult but is essential for choosing
the correct type for marketing and
for gaining understanding of pest
and disease relationships.

Identification is made much easier
once the observer has developed
mental pictures of the different types
of bananas. Photographs of
varieties are therefore of great
assistance and are particularly
useful for inexperienced
observers trying to identity a
variety. Even for experienced
observers, they can be a useful
additional aid, particularly where
large numbers of varieties are
being considered and for those
varieties not often seen.

This guide attempts to cover
most of the banana varieties
likely to be encountered in the
South Pacific region. With this
information, the ability to identity
illegally introduced clones or the
newer ones being evaluated for
resistance to black Sigatoka will
be enhanced.

Identifying varieties by deduction
is far easier than by induction.
That is to say, if the full range of
varieties in a locality is known,
for example by reference to
photographs, then a specimen
with unique morphological
features can be identified readily.

However, difficulties occur when
plants grown in an environment
markedly different from that to
which the observer is
accustomed are presented for
identification. Problems in
identification also arise when
the observer is exposed to a new
variety, and no bunches are
available for inspection.

To overcome these problems the
following steps are proposed.
First compare the variety to be
identified with the photographs.
Next, if further clarification is
needed, refer to Table 3 and
sequentially work through
pseudostem height,
distinguishing features, black
Sigatoka reaction and bunch
characteristics.

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15,000+ Varieties

Mark Dragt

That is a bunch of links. I have a couple plants with a ? Of the identity. Wealth of info here.

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Mark's Banana Forest Paradise

PR-Giants

WOW... good bump, it's been over 2 years.

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15,000+ Varieties

druss

Anyone managed to download the usda tars catalogues? I get an error page.

Tytaylor77

Same here. I used to access it ok. Never downloaded it though. Starting awhile back. Maybe a year! It started giving the error page. It’s too big to share or email. I wish someone who has it could upload it to a backup site, etc.

If anyone does have it downloaded and can get it to me somehow. I would add it to my server myself and give free access to it as a backup. PM me if you have it saved and wanna try.

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150+ Varieties!!. See profile for list. Help me add more!

www.bananapups.com

PR-Giants

It is working ok now.

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15,000+ Varieties

PR-Giants

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15,000+ Varieties

Katie Thompson

Can you tell me what document/book those terrific identification figures (the scans) are from?

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What?? I'm bananas??
Thank you.