Genetic diversity of the wild banana Musa acuminata colla in Malaysia as evidenced by AFLP

Musa acuminata Colla (Musaceae), the wild progenitor of the cultivated banana, is highly variable in Malaysia and presents several unresolved nomenclatural problems. AFLP was employed to distinguish among three subspecies of Musa acuminata (subsp, truncata and subsp. malaccensis from peninsular Malaysia and subsp. microcarpa from Borneo) and to examine whether subsp. truncata is a distinct taxon. Eight primer combinations revealed molecular markers specific for each of the three taxa. UPGMA cluster analysis showed the three taxa were distinct. Subspecies malaccensis which is endemic in peninsular Malaysia and subsp. microcarpa which is endemic in Borneo were found to be more similar to each other in their DNA patterns than they are to subsp. truncata, which is endemic to peninsular Malaysia. Since subsp, truncata is genetically separate from subsp. malaccensis and subsp, microcarpa, it cannot be regarded as synonymous with either of these subspecies. This paper sheds light on the nomenclature of the three subspecies of Musa acuminata. (C) 2001 Annals of Botany Company.