Leaf tissue samples of 35 clones of Musa acuminata Colla. representing eight putative subspecies and M. balbisiana Colla. were analyzed for isozyme variation for malate dehydrogenase (MDH), glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), shlkimate dehydrogenase (SADH), phosphoglucomutase (PGM), tetrazolium oxidase (TO), peroxidase (PRX), catalase (CAT), and esterase (EST). Polymorphism was detected in all of the enzyme systems examined. Apparent subspecies specific alleles have been identified in M. acuminata subspecies microcarpa, burmannica, errans, and zebrina. A comparison of isozymes present in leaf tissue of wild fertile diploid subspecies and M. balbisiana with those present in the cultivated triploid cultivars Valery and Chato confirms the bispecific origin of Chato. In addition, the results of this study indicate that fertile diploids are useful to study the inheritance of isozyme markers and that isozyme markers may be used to identify commercial cultivars, species, and subspecies.
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Jarret et al. (1986) studied this question.