Cavendish and Gros Michel Genetics
 

Hi everyone,
I'm really finding banana genetics to be fascinating, and from all that I've read, both the Cavendish and the Gros Michel are in the AAA group (Cavendish group). Certainly, there can be quite a bit of variance within a family, but are these two types really closely related? I've always thought of them as distant cousins, but it looks like they're actually very similar genetically. Is this true? Thanks!

Re: Cavendish and Gros Michel Genetics
 

They are in the same group (AAA), which only describes a bananas genome but does not give any real information about its origin. They are classified under different subgroups which are theoretically monophyletic and can give information on origination. Cavendish are classified to (AAA Cavendish) and Gros Michel to (AAA Gros Michel). Although they originate from different meiotic events, they are still actually closely related and share at least one parent cultivar, a diploid AA Muraru. When I have the time I will try to find some of the papers I have on this subject and post them here.

Re: Cavendish and Gros Michel Genetics
 

@Gabe15 This is really helpful! Thanks for the info

Re: Cavendish and Gros Michel Genetics
 

Hmm...so Gros Michel and Muraru Mshale are quite closely related, correct? (iirc you said the MM's fruit was like that of the GM, but fruitier and even tastier)

Re: Cavendish and Gros Michel Genetics
 

Yes and apparently a Muraru is also a parent of Pome bananas (Brazilian, Raja Puri etc..)