Thesis (BS Biology) -- University of the Philippines Mindanao, 2005

Genetic diversity was investigated in 25 accessions of banana (Musa sp.) from the Bureau of Plant Industry Davao City genebank using 5RAPD primers. Monomorphism was not observed in the molecular data since all primers produced 100% polymorphic amplified DNA segments. Similarity coefficients calculated from the formula by Nei and Li (1979) ranged from a low of 0.091 and a high of 0.877. cluster trees were then constructed using RAPD data for the presence and absence of PCR bands to show the genetic relationships among the banana accessions using a computer program Phylip, Version 3.63 (Felsenstein 2004). District groups emerged from the tree and clustering showed a clear division between banana accessions having genome A and genome B. A very high genetic similarity (>0.5) was shared by accessions clustered in the AA/AAA genomic group while accessions from the B genomic group varied widely from each other (<0.5). Unexpected results however appeared in the phenogram because Tiparot and Radja whose genomes are ABBB and AAB, respectively, clustered with the genomic group composed entirely of A genome