Info:Groups and Subgroups

From Bananas Wiki

(Difference between revisions)

Revision as of 02:53, 13 October 2023

Groups and Subgroups

Scientists have struggled with how to classify the relationships between banana varieties ever since their discovery. In the present day, a system of groups and subgroups are used to indicate relationships, while still being flexible enough to accommodate frequent changes. Chromosome count and approximate ratio of parentage are used to indicate genome groups. For example, a plant with 65% M. acuminata and 35% M. balbisiana parentage and three chromosome sets would be classed into the AAB Group. Subgroups are then utilized to indicate that certain cultivars are more closely related. Because these groupings are artificial constructs, they cannot display the full complexity of relationships between cultivars. An AAB cultivar may be more closely related to an AA cultivar it was bred from, and more distantly related to another AAB cultivar.

Cultivar vs. Species

While there is an incredible amount of variety within bananas, it is important to note that a cultivar does not rise to the level of being a species. Much like how the genetic diversity in dogs manifests into a vast array of shapes, sizes, and colors, both bananas or dogs still share enough genes in common that they can be considered a monolithic species. Hybridization between species is a further complication; much like how wolf-dog crosses exist, so too do crosses between M. acuminata and M. balbisiana. They occupy a grey area that almost breaks the distinction between species, but there is enough of a difference between genomes that a blurred line can be drawn between species. Therefore, cultivars should be understood as being distinct forms within the broader, encompassing definition of species/hybrids.

AA Group

This genome group technically includes wild-type M. acuminata bananas, though there are a number of domesticated cultivars without seeds. Seedless bananas in the AA Group are ranked among the more primitive varieties, as they are fewer steps removed from their wild counterparts.

Sucrier Subgroup

Sucrier/Honey/Niño
Mai'a Hapai

Ungrouped AA

Kru
Veinte Cohol
Rose
Tu'u Gia

AB Group

BB Group

While wild M. balbisiana falls into this group, there are a handful of semi-domesticated varieties.

Thai Black

AAA Group

Cavendish Subgroup

Most bananas sold at grocery stores today come from the Cavendish Subgroup.

Chinese
Gran Nain (Chiquita)
Valery

Gros Michel Subgroup

Cultivars in the Gros Michel Subgroup were the previous banana of choice. They still exist in small collections, but are no longer viable for international mass production due to disease vectors.

Highgate
Cocos
Bluefields/Gros Michel

Red Subgroup

Cultivars in the Red Subgroup often exhibit vivid red pseudostems and bananas (with the exception of Green Red). They often bear other descriptors that indicate where the plant was brought from, like 'Jamaican Red' or 'Cuban Red'. Generally speaking, such names refer to the same banana cultivar, and are historical quirks rather than distinct varieties.

Red
Dwarf Red
Green Red

Ibota Subgroup

Named after the local name of its most notable member, the Ibota Subgroup was first described in Congo during the 1950s. Later studies suggest that it may have been brought to Congo from Thailand.

Yangambi km 5

AAB Group

Plantain Subgroup

There are two understandings of what a plantain is; either it refers to cooking bananas, or to the Plantain Subgroup of cultivars that are from Africa. All cultivars of the Plantain Subgroup are coincidentally best utilized as cooking bananas.

African Rhino Horn

Pome Subgroup

Members of the Pome Subgroup are often considered to be the "true" apple banana, and they have the tart flavor to match. They form a considerable portion of the Hawai'ian banana industry, and are often called 'Hawaiian Apple' bananas.

Apple/Brazilian
Dwarf Apple/Brazilian
Raja Puri

Silk Subgroup

Sometimes these are referred to as apple bananas due to their flavor profile, but they are distinct from the Pome Subgroup.

Silk Fig

Iholena Subgroup

Along with the Maoli-Popoulu Subgroup, these are sometimes informally called 'Pacific Plantains'. While often utilized as cooking bananas, some Iholena varieties can be ripened enough to enjoy raw as a dessert banana. New Iholena leaves exhibit a bronze/purple/mauve leaf underside, the fruit peels turn yellow before being ripe, and are orange to pink fleshed.

Mai'a Iholena Iholena
Mai'a Iholena Kapua
Mai'a Iholena Lele

Maoli-Popoulu Subgroup

Along with the Iholena Subgroup, these are sometimes informally called 'Pacific Plantains'. The cultivars of the Maoli-Popoulu Subgroup are starchy, often used as cooking bananas, and are sometimes split into separate subgroups of Maoli and Popoulu.

A'ea'e/Koae/Manini
Hua Moa
Lahi
Manai'ula

Mysore Subgroup

The Mysore Subgroup is associated with India, where they occupy a significant portion of the local banana commerce. Exhibiting bronzy-mauve leaf undersides, they are sometimes confused with Iholena varieties.

Mysore
Misi Luki
Pisang Ceylon

ABB Group

Bluggoe Subgroup

Perhaps one of the most widely grown, members of this group are known by many names across the globe. There are some distinct varieties, but by and large most are recognizably the same cultivar.

Orinoco/Bluggoe/Burro/Horse
Dwarf Orinoco
Largo
Silver Bluggoe

Saba Subgroup

Praying Hands

Ney Mannan Subgroup

The famed Blue Java banana, aka Ice Cream banana, was historically placed in the Bluggoe Subgroup. A later study on its genome recategorized it into the Ney Mannan Subgroup.

Blue Java/Ice Cream

Pisang Awak Subgroup

With the namesake variety being a quality dessert banana, this banana subgroup has seen widespread adoption by international communities. Sometimes plants from this subgroup are marketed as 'Ice Cream', conflicting with 'Blue Java' being sold under the same name.

Namwa/Pisang Awak/Ducasse
Dwarf Namwa

BBB Group

There is some debate on whether certain cultivars are triploid M. balbisiana, and testing will be necessary to verify their status.

Tetraploids

Tetraploid is the scientific term to describe living things as having four sets of chromosomes. Several banana breeding institutes have released tetraploid cultivars, the result of careful selection and hand pollination rather than synthetic methods. A few tetraploid cultivars have been found in the wild, but it is uncertain if they arose by natural means or human interference.

AAAA Group

FHIA-25 (Gros Michel hybrid)

AAAB Group

FHIA-01/Goldfinger (Pome hybrid)

AABB Group

FHIA-03/Sweetheart (Bluggoe hybrid)

ABBB Group

References

This page is a work in progress.

Ruas, M., Guignon, V., Sempere, G., Sardos, J., Hueber, Y., Duvergey, H., et al. (2017). MGIS: managing banana (Musa spp.) genetic resources information and high-throughput genotyping data. Database (Oxford) 2017. doi:10.1093/database/bax046.

International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain (2005) Infomusa: La revue internationale sur bananiers et plantains. 50 p. 944 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/104890

Retrieved from "http://www.bananas.org/wiki/Info:Groups_and_Subgroups"

 :*Green Red
+====Ibota Subgroup====
+Named after the local name of its most notable member, the Ibota Subgroup was first described in Congo during the 1950s. Later studies suggest that it may have been brought to Congo from Thailand.
+:*Yangambi km 5
 ===AAB Group===
 :*Manai'ula
+====Mysore Subgroup====
+The Mysore Subgroup is associated with India, where they occupy a significant portion of the local banana commerce. Exhibiting bronzy-mauve leaf undersides, they are sometimes confused with Iholena varieties.
+:*Mysore
+:*Misi Luki
+:*Pisang Ceylon
 ===ABB Group===
 :*Orinoco/Bluggoe/Burro/Horse
 :*Dwarf Orinoco
+:*Largo
 :*Silver Bluggoe
 ==References==
 This page is a work in progress.
+Ruas, M., Guignon, V., Sempere, G., Sardos, J., Hueber, Y., Duvergey, H., et al. (2017). MGIS: managing banana (Musa spp.) genetic resources information and high-throughput genotyping data. Database (Oxford) 2017. doi:10.1093/database/bax046.
+International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain (2005) Infomusa: La revue internationale sur bananiers et plantains. 50 p. 944 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/104890