DEVELOPING NEW PLANTAIN VARIETIES FOR AFRICA

Plantains (Musa spp. AAB group) are important food crops grown by smal l landholders in sub-Saharan Africa. Black sigatoka, a fungal leaf spo t disease (Mycosphaerella fijiensis Morelet), is a major constraint to plantain production worldwide since all varieties are susceptible to this disease. Chemical fungicides for black sigatoka control exist but are considered as environmentally unsound and socio-economically inap propriate for African farmers. Therefore, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) decided in 1987 to develop new black si gatoka resistant plantain varieties. Through a combination of innovati ve cross breeding methods, several promising black sigatoka resistant tetraploid hybrids were identified for potential varietal release by N ational Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES). Steps inv olved in the development of this black sigatoka resistant plantain ger mplasm with stable high yields and acceptable fruit quality for local consumers inducted ploidy manipulations through the utilization of loc al triploid plantain landraces and diploid or cultivated wild bananas in interspecific hybridization in triploid-diploid crosses, followed b y in vitro seed germination through embryo culture, and further rapid micropropagation of selected genotypes for on-station, multilocational , advanced and on-farm testing, and finally, taste panels to assess co oked fruit quality. Close interaction between NARES and IITA offered t he means for local testing and selection of new plantain hybrids for f urther varietal registration. Also, this association provided in-depth knowledge in host-response to black sigatoka disease, yield stability , and consumers' acceptability of plantains across various environment s in sub-Saharan Africa.