Banana Hybrids
ABOUT NARO BANANA IMPROVED VARIETIES (HYBRIDS)
Scientists in Uganda, have over the years been at a strategy to breeding for resistance using a combination of crossing and genetic transformation. The motivation being household food security, pest and disease tolerance and drought tolerance levels.
NARO through the National Banana Research Program has over the years released improved banana varieties with focus on increasing resistance to black sigatoka disease, nematodes and weevils.
All these hybrids have been adopted and are available in plantations around the country boosting household food security and improving economic incomes of families especially of small holder farmers though never profiled in one document for access and awareness.
NARO through the National Banana Research Program has over the years released improved banana varieties with focus on increasing resistance to black sigatoka disease, nematodes and weevils.
All these hybrids have been adopted and are available in plantations around the country boosting household food security and improving economic incomes of families especially of small holder farmers though never profiled in one document for access and awareness.
A number of improvements have been made in East African Highland Banana breeding between 1990 and 2020. The NARO Banana breeding team has bred and released seven banana (matooke) hybrids since 1990’s. These hybrids are high yielding coupled with resistances to common pests and diseases.
They include the following:-
They include the following:-
- Kabana 6H
- Kabana 7H
- NAROBan 1
- NAROBan 2
- NAROBan 3
- NAROBan 4
- NAROBan 5
WHY DEVELOP HYBRIDS?
Hybrids are being developed for the following reasons:
- Pest and disease resistance
- Higher yields
- Improved crop quality / nutritional value
- Cycling, plant architecture, bunch orientation
- Shorter cropping cycle
- Improved taste
- Drought resistance
