Combining ability for yield and plant phenology in plantain-derived populations

Genetic enhancement of Musa spp, has aimed at producing hybrids with high y ield, short stature, fast crop cycling, and disease resistance through inte rspecific and interploidy crosses. Progeny testing for parental selection h as seldom been carried out in Musa and little is known on combining ability and heterosis in this species. A 5 x 5 factorial mating design was used to estimate components of phenotypic variance in 4x-2x hybrid populations and to determine the combining ability of their progenitors for yield and asso ciated traits. General combining ability was much greater than specific com bining ability for these traits, and, therefore, only little recombinative heterosis could be expected upon crossing. Thus, the 4x-2x breeding scheme should aim to accumulate favourable alleles in 4x and 2x clones through rec urrent selection. Such clones could be used per se or in crosses aimed at r estoring the seedlessness character in the progeny due to female sterility in a triploid background.