Process for selecting banana clones and banana clones obtained thereby

Abstract

The invention provides a process for selecting banana clones that are characterized by increased bunch weight and by increased total fruit yield, which process is based on somaclonal variation and comprises the steps of initiating tissue cultures from apical meristem explants, and propagating and rooting the same; hardening, potting, and growing in vivo, plants propagated in the previous step; forming a mat from a cluster of plants grown in the previous step originating from the same clone; planting the mats from the previous step in a field, and growing them under conditions of abiotic stress, the conditions including the growth of the mats in an area wherein the average winter night temperature is below 10° C.; measuring bunch weight and total fruit yield of the mats for a period of at least 3 years and selecting mats, the plants of which exhibit the best characteristics of increased bunch weight and increased total fruit yield; and utilizing mats selected in the previous step for preparing apical meristem explants.

1 . A process for selecting banana clones that are characterized by increased bunch weight and by increased total fruit yield, which process is based on somaclonal variation and comprises the steps of 
 a) initiating tissue cultures from apical meristem explants, and propagating and rooting the same;    b) hardening, potting, and growing in vivo, plants propogated in step a;    c) forming a mat from a cluster of plants grown in step b, originating from the same clone;    d) planting the mats from the previous step in a field, and growing them under conditions of abiotic stress, said conditions including the growth of said mats in an area wherein the average winter night temperature is below 10° C.;    e) measuring bunch weight and total fruit yield of said mats for a period of at least 3 years and selecting mats, the plants of which exhibit the best characteristics of increased bunch weight and increased total fruit yield; and    f) utilizing mats selected in the previous step for preparing apical meristem explants.    
   
   
       2 . A process according to  claim 1  comprising the further steps of 
 g) initiating tissue cultures from apical meristem explants, from step f, and propagating and rooting the same;    h) hardening, potting, and growing in vivo, plants propagated in step g;    i) forming a mat from a cluster of plants grown in step h, originating from the same clone;    j) planting the mats from the previous step in a field, and growing them under conditions of abiotic stress, said conditions including the growth of said mats in an area wherein the average winter night temperature is below 10° C.;    k) measuring bunch weight and total fruit yield of said mats for a further period of at least 1 year in order to re-evaluate for trueness of type and selecting mats, the plants of which exhibit the best characteristics of increased bunch weight and increased total fruit yield.    
   
   
       3 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein said stress conditions comprise at least one further stress item selected from the group consisting of maintaining the mats in an area receiving average rainfalls during three summer months lower than 200 mm, and subject to an average summer day temperature higher than 28° C.  
   
   
       4 . A banana clone obtained in a process according to any one of claims  1  or  2 .  
   
   
       5 . A banana clone according to  claim 4 , being Jaffa or Gal clone, said clone having the characteristics as said forth in tables 2B and 3B herein.