IITA MUSA IMPROVEMENT – MOLECULAR BREEDING STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (SOP) FOR BANANA LEAF ARCHIVING

Unlike seed crops, clonally propagated crops are difficult and expensive to conserve. With the rapidly evolving genotyping platforms, it is recommended to conserve leaf samples with the possibility of using them for genotyping, if the need arises. Banana leaf archiving involves the process of collecting, processing, and storing the leaves in a way that preserves the integrity of the DNA over time. Banana leaf archiving is important for maintaining a repository of genetic materials from different banana cultivars, which can be used for genotyping purposes in support of various breeding objectives. The banana leaf samples collected are dried using the freeze-drying/lyophilizing method which preserves the integrity of DNA in leaf tissue samples for long-term storage and future use.