Abstract:
The diversity of 119 wild banana Musa acuminata Colla accessions were
assessed using 56 morphological characters, i.e. 18 vegetative and 38 reproductive
characters, using M. itinerans and M. laterita as outgroup. Numerical data were
analysed by NTSYS-pc software package version 2.11T program. The result showed
four clades of M. acuminata; subsp. siamea, microcarpa, malaccensis, truncata which
corresponded to previous study by Simmonds (1956). Discriminating analysis by
hand showed that there were strong four distinguished characters; male bud
imbrications, shape of leaf base, color of outer and inner bract. In addition, two forms
of M. acuminata subsp. malaccensis were found; one was typical malaccensis form
distributed throughout the southern part of Thailand and the second was Kha
Isthmus form, with different inflorescence characters, found only in Ranong and
neighboring provinces. Moreover, M. acuminata subsp. malaccensis malaccensis
was found for the first time in northern Thailand and M. acuminata subsp. truncata,
also reported here for the first time in Thailand, was found on mountainous area in
Yala province