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bengtang
11-24-2012, 02:27 AM
Hi all, I like bananas. I live in Singapore, a part of the world where there are native wild bananas (Musa acuminata) which have seeds, and also several domestic cultivars which have no viable seeds. The wild ones are (as with other wild things) threatened by habitat destruction and urbanisation in this small country with a rapidly growing population. I am going to try and cross the wild ones with domesticated varieties to try and produce a variety that has more edible flesh than the wild one, but also viable seeds. This will be useful as food for monkeys, birds, and fruit bats, which can then also spread the seeds around. Here's some photos of bananas:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151351998328885.535854.675238884&type=1

lwooters
11-24-2012, 05:46 PM
welcome! very cool project you have going on, please keep us posted!

raygrogan
11-24-2012, 06:16 PM
You must have looked into the genetics so help us guys who can't remember well - isn't there something about the commercial bananas being "Tripoid" = having three sets of chromosomes and therefore have a hard time dividing in half to make pollen and eggs that work. There must be some tricks that the pros use to do regular banana breeding.

2woodensticks
11-24-2012, 08:42 PM
are the wild ones not edible at all???or can you eat if really ripe??thanks and welcome to the forum

bengtang
11-24-2012, 08:56 PM
Many of the local cultivars are diploid but with tiny specks for seeds. The wild bananas have thin pseudostems and small fruit (pictured in my avatar). The fruit has edible flesh but a lot of seeds around 5mm in diameter which makes eating it difficult, kind of like pomegranate. I will try to grow some wild and domesticated varieties near each other to see if they will cross-pollinate. May take a while.

Someone is grafting bananas to try and hybridise them but i doubt it will work:
Grafting Banana Trees - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNXbbIknQb8)

Grafting Bananas Stage 2 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1-mcT0_usY)

sunfish
11-24-2012, 10:10 PM
You must have looked into the genetics so help us guys who can't remember well - isn't there something about the commercial bananas being "Tripoid" = having three sets of chromosomes and therefore have a hard time dividing in half to make pollen and eggs that work. There must be some tricks that the pros use to do regular banana breeding.

IITA - Breeding (http://old.iita.org/cms/details/banana_project_details.aspx?articleid=228&zoneid=308)

Ikisan - Breeding and crop improvement in banana (http://www.ikisan.com/crop%20specific/eng/links/ap_bananaCrop%20Improvement.shtml)

sunfish
11-24-2012, 10:23 PM
http://www.bananas.org/f2/breeding-possibilities-12584.html#post142265

Romul
11-25-2012, 08:30 AM
Hi all, I like bananas. I live in Singapore, a part of the world where there are native wild bananas (Musa acuminata) which have seeds, and also several domestic cultivars which have no viable seeds. The wild ones are (as with other wild things) threatened by habitat destruction and urbanisation in this small country with a rapidly growing population. I am going to try and cross the wild ones with domesticated varieties to try and produce a variety that has more edible flesh than the wild one, but also viable seeds. This will be useful as food for monkeys, birds, and fruit bats, which can then also spread the seeds around. Here's some photos of bananas:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151351998328885.535854.675238884&type=1

Это хорошо, что Вы заботитесь о животных. Но в результате расселения ваших гибридов при помощи перекрестного опыления дикий Musa acuminata может исчезнуть в вашей местности. Вместо него будут произрастать гибриды.

Romul
11-25-2012, 08:54 AM
Many of the local cultivars are diploid but with tiny specks for seeds. The wild bananas have thin pseudostems and small fruit (pictured in my avatar). The fruit has edible flesh but a lot of seeds around 5mm in diameter which makes eating it difficult, kind of like pomegranate. I will try to grow some wild and domesticated varieties near each other to see if they will cross-pollinate. May take a while.

Someone is grafting bananas to try and hybridise them but i doubt it will work:
Grafting Banana Trees - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNXbbIknQb8)

Grafting Bananas Stage 2 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1-mcT0_usY)


Конечно, это не будет работать. Даже, если они срастутся, при такой посадке каждый из этих ростков будет иметь свои корни и жить своей жизнью.

bengtang
11-26-2012, 12:49 AM
Это хорошо, что Вы заботитесь о животных. Но в результате расселения ваших гибридов при помощи перекрестного опыления дикий Musa acuminata может исчезнуть в вашей местности. Вместо него будут произрастать гибриды.

Хороший вопрос. Может быть, я просто посадить дикий для животных. Вы хотите, чтобы некоторые семена дикого типа? Если вы дадите мне ваш адрес в личном сообщении я могу отправить вам некоторые.

bengtang
11-26-2012, 01:22 AM
I have posted photos of the seeds from wild banana:
Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151351998328885.535854.675238884&type=1)

Anyone want some seeds?

bengtang
11-26-2012, 01:52 PM
Try this link for photos instead
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151351998328885.535854.675238884&type=1&l=e5172790cf

bengtang
01-08-2013, 10:36 PM
An article and some pics showing the wild nanas, i am pretty sure they are native to Singapore.

Wild bananas growing near Dairy Farm Rd?, Entertainment, Food & Beverage, Singapore Guides & Articles - STClassifieds (http://articles.stclassifieds.sg/entertainment-food-and-beverage/wild-bananas-growing-near-dairy-farm-rd/a/96739)

Photo gallery: Amateur naturalist may have found wild bananas here (http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/photo-gallery-amateur-naturalist-may-have-found-wild-bananas-here-2012)

Musa777
01-09-2013, 02:13 AM
Hi Beng,

I have enjoyed the article and photos very much. Whould wish to be there to discover banana plants, too. Thank you very much for posting the link.
Even if the fruits have much seeds they look quite sweet. Did you tried to eat them?
That local species have very good adaption to local climate factors such as water, soil, sun, wind .. and are so much more resistant to diseas. Breeding edible cultivars from them by selection or crossing with otder species whould be a great thing.

Peter Franken
01-17-2013, 04:27 AM
Hi all, I like bananas. I live in Singapore, a part of the world where there are native wild bananas (Musa acuminata) which have seeds, and also several domestic cultivars which have no viable seeds. The wild ones are (as with other wild things) threatened by habitat destruction and urbanisation in this small country with a rapidly growing population. I am going to try and cross the wild ones with domesticated varieties to try and produce a variety that has more edible flesh than the wild one, but also viable seeds. This will be useful as food for monkeys, birds, and fruit bats, which can then also spread the seeds around. Here's some photos of bananas:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151351998328885.535854.675238884&type=1

welcome Bengtang!
just sent you a private message!
grtz
Peter

bengtang
02-11-2013, 05:36 AM
I've posted some photos of the wild bananas:
Banana Gallery - Wild bananas in Singapore (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=2144)