Bananas are cultivated in more than 107 countries in an area of 4.1 million hectares with a production of 95 million tons and considered the second most produced fruit worldwide. Bananas are attacked by viruses (CMV and BSV), fungi (Yellow and Black Sigatoka and Fusarium), bacteria (Moko), nematodes and insects (Weevils). However, through genetic breeding, it is possible to achieve resistance to most pests and diseases. The center of origin of most of Musa spp. germplasm is the Asian Continent, where diploid, triploid, Tetraploid with genome Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana bananas are found. In banana breeding, especially for disease resistance, the following methods are employed: introduction and selection of clones; hybridization (crosses between diploids and diploids, triploids and diploids and diploids with tetraploids); chromosome duplication; mutation and transgenic. Methods involving hybridization, however, the method mostly used, is limited by pathernocarpy, sterility, variable number of ploidy levels and low seed production. All varieties produced by the program are then evaluated in banana producing regions in Brazil. Recently new breeding techniques based on genetic information on Musa ssp. are being incremented.
hybridization; chromosome duplication; mutation and transgenic
