Characterization of East African Accessions of Musa AAB ''APPLE'' and Musa AA ''MURARU'' Desert Bananas

Abstract

One of the major hindrances to future improvements in bananas and plantains production in East Africa is the endless range of names and synonyms used to describe different cultivars and the lack of understanding of their true biological relationships. The East African AAB "Sukari Ndizi" and AA "Muraru" dessert bananas are prime examples of this confusion. To better understand these two groups of bananas and to evaluate them for economically important traits, vital information such as the identity and distinctness of cultivars needed to be developed.