AUTHOR=Wang Xiaoyi , Wang Anbang , Li Yujia , Xu Yi , Wei Qing , Wang Jiashui , Lin Fei , Gong Deyong , Liu Fei , Wang Yanting , Peng Liangcai , Li Jingyang 

TITLE=A Novel Banana Mutant “RF 1” (Musa spp. ABB, Pisang Awak Subgroup) for Improved Agronomic Traits and Enhanced Cold Tolerance and Disease Resistance

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.730718

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2021.730718

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Banana is a major fruit crop grown in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Among cultivars, “FenJiao, FJ” (<italic>Musa</italic> spp. ABB, Pisang Awak subgroup) is a popular variety of bananas, due to its better sugar-acid blend and relatively small fruit shape. However, because the traditional FJ variety grows relatively high in height, it is vulnerable to lodging and unsuitable for harvesting. In this study, we sought desirable banana mutants by carrying out ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenesis with the FJ cultivar. After the FJ shoot tips had been treated with 0.8% (v/v) EMS for 4 h, we obtained a stably inherited mutant, here called “<italic>ReFen 1</italic>” (<italic>RF1</italic>), and also observed a semi-dwarfing phenotype. Compared with the wild type (FJ), this <italic>RF1</italic> mutant featured consistently improved agronomic traits during 5-year field experiments conducted in three distinct locations in China. Notably, the <italic>RF1</italic> plants showed significantly enhanced cold tolerance and Sigatoka disease resistance, mainly due to a substantially increased soluble content of sugar and greater starch accumulation along with reduced cellulose deposition. Therefore, this study not only demonstrated how a powerful genetic strategy can be used in fruit crop breeding but also provided insight into the identification of novel genes for agronomic trait improvement in bananas and beyond.</p>