Occurrence and Inheritance of 2 n Pollen in Musa

Sexual polyploidization explains the formation of most polyploidcrop species and provides means for their genetic improvement.This paper reports the occurrence and inheritance of 2n pollenin diploid and polyploidMusa . Pollen samples of male fertileaccessions available in the field gene bank of the InternationalInstitute of Tropical Agriculture were microscopically examinedthroughout a calendar year. Based on pollen diameter 2n pollenproducers were identified. The presence of 2n pollen in diploidspecies suggests that unilateral sexual polyploidization (2nxn) could have been involved in the origin of triploidMusa species.Segregation data suggests that at least one dominant gene controls2n pollen production inMusa . Further introgression of desirablealleles from diploid species to polyploids could be achievedeither through unilateral or bilateral (2nx2n ) sexual polyploidizationinMusa . Musa spp.; Musa hybrids; 2n gametes; evolution; ploidy manipulations; sexual polyploidization