Exploration and Identification of Banana Plant Morphology on Pagai Island, Mentawai Regency

Abstract

Pagai Island is recognized as one of the primary centers for banana cultivation in West Sumatra. To date, the banana resources on Pagai Island have not been adequately exploited, raising concerns regarding the potential loss of germplasm if these resources are not conserved and managed effectively. The management of genetic resources can be achieved through germplasm collection via exploration activities. This study aims to provide information on the distribution and diversity of bananas on Pagai Island, located in the Mentawai Islands Regency. The research was conducted from July to November 2024. Sampling was performed using purposive sampling methods, and morphological characterization was conducted utilizing the 1996 IPGRI descriptors. The distribution of bananas is illustrated through a distribution map generated from coordinate point data using the ArcGIS 10.8 application. In contrast, the morphological characterization data is represented as a dendrogram created with the Ntsys Ver 2.02 application. The exploration yielded 22 banana accessions. Morphological characterization focused on various traits, including pseudostem tapering, anthocyanin coloration of the pseudostem, crown compactness, growth habit of the plant, petiole attitude, wing presence at the base, midrib color on the lower side of the leaf blade, leaf blade base shape, Waxiness on the lower side of the leaf blade, glossiness on the upper side of the leaf blade, and peduncle curvature. The results indicated that among the 22 banana accessions, the similarity level ranged from 42% to 100%.