ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the reproductive biology of the Musa spp. because it is central to working with the breeding system and the relative success of banana breeding schemes. In recent years knowledge of the sexual reproduction of plants has progressed considerably, but few studies have been made on members of the Musaceae, despite their economic importance and scientific interest. The female and male reproductive organs are separated into different floral structures on the same inflorescence. This is the dominant condition among gymnosperms, also frequent in angiosperm monocotyledons and some dicotyledonous timber and crops species. Abnormalities of the physiological features of the reproductive process can influence the breeding systems of plants. They cause a breakdown in the sequence of flower and fruit development and cause marginal or substantial effects on the breeding system. Many plants have prezygotic self-incompatibility, in which the growth of self-pollen tubes is inhibited and fertilization prevented.
