Efficient phenotyping of banana (Musa spp.) germplasm for resistance to five biotic constraints using Partially replicated (P-rep) design

Banana breeding programs prioritize improving yield with resistance to biotic stresses while maintaining fruit quality. This study focused on identifying genotypes with resistance to five major biotic constraints including Cosmopolites sordidus, Radopholus similis, banana Xanthomonas wilt, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense – Race 1 and Pseudocercospora fijiensis. A diverse set of diploid and tetraploid genotypes was phenotyped under controlled screenhouse and field conditions to identify potential sources of. A partially replicated (P-rep) design, was used to accommodate unequal plant availability arising from asynchronous multiplication. P-rep design enabled robust phenotypic comparisons and identification of genotypes expressing resistance to multiple biotic stresses. Several diploid genotypes exhibited resistance to multiple constraints, highlighting their potential as parental lines for resistance introgression and broadening the genetic base for banana improvement. Leveraging on the efficiency and precision of the P-rep experimental design, these findings accelerate the phenotyping of genotypes.