Musa Basjoo breeding?
 

Has anyone ever tried to cross breed Musa Basjoo with other varieties or species? Were there any results?

Re: Musa Basjoo breeding?
 

Yes in Ohio...

Re: Musa Basjoo breeding?
 

Some basic attempts were experimented with long ago by Norman Simmonds to investigate the relations among some different wild banana species. The results as I remember them were that it didn't cross well with anything except M. itinerans with which it is most closely allied. It did not cross well with wild type M. acuminata and is unlikely to cross well with edible cultivars as well.

Additionally there is some suggestion that the common M. basjoo in the horticultural trade is sterile, which wouldn't be at all surprising seeing as that it has been tissue cultured so extensively with no need to selectively maintain fertility. So if any crossing attempts were to be experimented with it would be prudent to start the parent plants from seed.

Re: Musa Basjoo breeding?
 

This is another study a few years back in Ohio, that could be of interest.

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