Abstract:

Banana diploids are used both as male parents and materials for genetic studies in
breeding programmes. In this study a range of synthetic diploid hybrids were assessed
for their response to black Sigatoka, male fertility and their genetic relationship to East
African Highland banana, so
improvement of the East African Highland Bananas. Synthetic diploid progeny obtained
from 2x-2x, 3x-2x and 4x-2x crosses, were evaluated along with their parents in a
completely randomized design for response to black Sigatoka and were rated for the
production and viability of pollen. Genomic DNA isolated from the different genotypes
was used in RAPDs analysis to estimate the genetic distances among the genotypes.
Genotypes ‘2858K-8’, ‘3550K-1’, ‘OPP2-861’, ‘OPP1-861’, ‘12468S-3’ and ‘3162K-3’
were found to show hypersensitive response to black Sigatoka. Seven synthetic diploid
‘3146K-2’ whose pollen rating was not significantly(p dD.05) different from that of the
closer to 'Calcutta'}', than to 'Enyeru' the East African Highland Banana, indicating the
potential to generate heterotic hybrids when crossed with East African Flighland Bananas.
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reference wild diploid banana were considered male fertile. All tested synthetic diploid
as to evaluate the potential of using them in the
banana genotypes’ 12506S-29’, ‘OPP2-861’, ‘3162K-3’, ‘3162K-1’, ‘3162K-5’ and
hybrids except ‘1537K-1’, ‘11025S-1’ and ‘12515S-2’ were found to be genetically