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Background The Philippines supplies approximately 86% of the global demand for abaca ( Musa textilis Née) fiber. To improve its resistance against pathogens, a backcross (BC 2 ) hybrid named Dioscoro 1, was developed by crossing Abuab, an abaca variety with high fiber quality, to Pacol, a wild banana ( Musa balbisiana Colla) variety with resistance against bunchy top virus (ABTV). Results Leaf samples from the parental lines (Abuab and Pacol) and their BC 2 were sequenced using RNA-seq to assess expression heterosis, regulatory differences, and their association. Analysis of expression heterosis showed that a large number of genes exhibited non-additive (dominance and transgressive) mode of inheritance, accounting for 83.2% of the total heterotic genes. Overdominant and high-parent Abuab dominant genes in the BC 2 were identified including genes encoding for cellulose synthases. Results indicated that the combined trans and cis + trans (synergistic) regulatory differences largely explain the cumulative effects of evolutionary divergence between the parents and the repeated backcrossing–selection procedures. Genes exhibiting compensatory interaction are significantly enriched under the transgressive mode of inheritance, contributing mostly to the heterotic effect in the backcross under directional selection. Genes belonging to a specific gene action cluster closely in a 3D space, suggesting that modes of expression inheritance follow mathematical patterns. Further statistical analysis reveals that regulatory differences strongly influence expression heterosis. In our concurrent work, the BC 2 demonstrated high-parent Abuab dominance on two important phenotypic traits – fiber length and tensile strength. Conclusion Here, the phenotypic and expression heteroses are inherent even in backcrosses owing to the presence of the two alleles in the Dioscoro 1 genome, albeit in uneven proportions (87.5% Abuab- and 12.5% Pacol-specific alleles for BC 2 ). These information provide insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying the heterotic performance of BC 2 and offering valuable directions for abaca breeding.

Abaca (Musa textilis Née), an indigenous crop to the Philippines, is known to be the source of the strongest natural fiber. Despite its huge economic contributions, research on crop improvement is limited due to the lack of genomic data. In this study, the whole genome of the abaca var. Abuab was sequenced using Illumina Novaseq 6000 and Pacific Biosciences Single-Molecule Real-Time Sequel. The genome size of Abuab was estimated to be 616 Mbp based on total k-mer number and volume peak. Its genome was assembled at 65× depth, mapping 95.28% of the estimated genome size. BUSCO analysis recovered 78.2% complete BUSCO genes. A total of 33,277 gene structures were predicted which is comparable to the number of predicted genes from recently assembled Musa spp. genomes. A total of 330 Mbp repetitive elements were also mined, accounting to 53.6% of the genome length. Here we report the sequencing and genome assembly of the abaca var. Abuab that will facilitate gene discovery for crop improvement and an indispensable source for genetic diversity studies in Musa.

Abaca is a strong competitor among natural fibres for use as the reinforcement of polymer composites. Due to its high durability, considerable fibre length, flexibility and mechanical strength, abaca shows good potential as a renewable source of fibres for application in technological and industrial fields. Discussing the influence of various treatment strategies, such as alkali and silane, for the preparation of abaca-based composites results in the improvement of their properties over that of bare polymer materials and that of other synthetic fibres. The enhanced characteristics of abaca fibre reinforced composites are widely explored for a variety of applications in automotive and other industries. These include for example roping and woven fabrics, currency notes, cigarette filter papers, vacuum bags, tea bags, cellulose pulp for paper and packaging, and materials for automotive components, etc. In particular, the effective use of abaca fibre reinforced polymer composite in manufacturing external parts of cars, using therefore also thermoplastic matrices, has become popular. The gaps in research from the literature that show the scarcity of studies on topics such as simulation and designing of mechanical characteristics of abaca fibre composites constructed on polymer matrices, such as epoxy, polylactide, high density polyethylene, phenol formaldehyde and polyester are also highlighted. The results indicate that abaca is particularly flexible to be used in different sectors, in combination with various matrices, and in hybrid composites with various fibres. Further work would necessarily involve the larger consideration of abaca textiles with different areal weights in the production of composites, and a widespread introduction of abaca in datasets for the automated selection of natural fibres for composites reinforcement.

Abaca (Musa textilis) is one of the natural fibers that has the potential to be utilized as basic materials in the textile manufacturing process. The objective of this research on the characteristics of abaca fiber is to determine the most effective initial treatment for enhancing the fiber’s quality. Chemical components are analyzed using the TAPPI standard, anatomical analysis is conducted using the Schultze method, and fiber morphology is analyzed using SEM. Additionally, the physical and mechanical properties of the fibers are analyzed by the SNI standard. The result indicated that abaca fiber can generate a high level of alpha-cellulose after an initial alkali treatment. The quality of fiber as a basic material for textile production can be influenced by the purity of cellulose, which is quantified by alpha cellulose. A high ratio aspect and a high demand in the textile industry will be the consequence of a small fiber diameter on alkaline treatment. Additional research is required to enhance the properties of natural fibers, enabling them to be utilized and implemented in the industrial sector as an alternative source material to synthetic fibers.

Natural fibre reinforced polymer composites are used in structural applications for production of light weight components due to their high specific strength. Abaca fibre as reinforcement in polymer matrices became popular due to applications of its polymer composite in production of exterior components of passenger cars. The present review emphasises on the properties, treatments and extraction of abaca fibre. It also provides an overview of research works related to preparation and properties (mechanical, structural and thermal properties) of abaca fibre reinforced polymer composites. Moreover, it also highlights the research gaps from available literatures, which brings out the paucity of literatures on modelling and simulation of mechanical properties of abaca composites based on polymer matrices like polyester, polylactide, epoxy, phenol formaldehyde, high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polystyrene. Graphical abstract

Fusarium wilt of banana (FWB), caused by soilborne Fusarium lineages, is a major global threat to the cultivation of bananas. In addition to persistent chlamydospores, weeds are a reservoir of the causal agents. However, it remains unclear whether other Zingiberales species, which are grown in the same geographic regions, also can serve as hosts for strains that cause FWB. Greenhouse assays were conducted to investigate whether a Race 1 strain (pathogenic to Gros Michel banana) or Tropical Race 4 (TR4) (pathogenic to a plethora of banana varieties, including Cavendish bananas) can infect three Heliconia species, two ornamental banana species or Musa textilis (abacá). Heliconia latispatha, Musa balbisiana, and Musa coccinea displayed external symptoms after inoculation with TR4, while inoculation with Race 1 caused symptoms in H. latispatha , H. psittacorum, M. coccinea, and M. velutina . Isolates were recovered from symptomatic and asymptomatic plants and were subsequently characterized and used to inoculate Gros Michel and Cavendish banana plants. They caused the typical FWB symptoms in these varieties, and the scores for discolored rhizome area were similar to those caused by the Race 1 and TR4 reference strains. These data call for a revision of the race nomenclature of FWB pathogens and adjustment of the current containment protocols.

The banana family (Musaceae) includes genetically a diverse group of species and their diploid and polyploid hybrids that are widely cultivated in the tropics. In spite of their socio-economic importance, the knowledge of Musaceae genomes is basically limited to draft genome assemblies of two species, Musa acuminata and M. balbisiana. Here we aimed to complement this information by analyzing repetitive genome fractions of six species selected to represent various phylogenetic groups within the family. Low-pass sequencing of M. acuminata, M. ornata, M. textilis, M. beccarii, M. balbisiana, and Ensete gilletii genomes was performed using a 454/Roche platform. Sequence reads were subjected to analysis of their overall intra- and inter-specific similarities and, all major repeat families were quantified using graph-based clustering. Maximus/SIRE and Angela lineages of Ty1/copia long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons and the chromovirus lineage of Ty3/gypsy elements were found to make up most of highly repetitive DNA in all species (14-34.5% of the genome). However, there were quantitative differences and sequence variations detected for classified repeat families as well as for the bulk of total repetitive DNA. These differences were most pronounced between species from different taxonomic sections of the Musaceae family, whereas pairs of closely related species (M. acuminata/M. ornata and M. beccarii/M. textilis) shared similar populations of repetitive elements. This study provided the first insight into the composition and sequence variation of repetitive parts of Musaceae genomes. It allowed identification of repetitive sequences specific for a single species or a group of species that can be utilized as molecular markers in breeding programs and generated computational resources that will be instrumental in repeat masking and annotation in future genome assembly projects.

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) has been emerging as a rich source of cellulosic fibers due to its wide availability and large production of byproducts that are suitable for fiber extraction. However, available literature lacks a comprehensive study that benchmarks date palm fibers against other leaf fibers. This work provides the first experimental comparative analysis between textile fibers from date palm midrib and spadix to other commonly used leaf fibers (sisal, abaca, and banana). The study evaluates the morphological, chemical, mechanical and thermal properties. Results showed that date palm fibers are finer than sisal and abaca (123 μm) and have higher cellulose purity than sisal and banana (59%). Furthermore, they possess enhanced thermal stability up to 250 °C, high crystallinity index comparable to abaca (64%), and high tensile strength comparable to sisal (602 MPa). This research will help in identifying the position of date palm fibers, which can shed the light on potential valorization of such underutilized resource.

Abaca (Musa textilis Nee) is a perennial plant of the Musaceae family, highly valued for the fibers obtained from its pseudostem. Costa Rica, the third-largest global producer of this fiber, faces limitations in propagation and variety selection due to its reliance on vegetative material and the limited genetic information available. In this study, efficient protocols were developed for the in vitro establishment and large-scale micropropagation of commercial abaca varieties cultivated in Costa Rica, as well as their genetic characterization using Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers. Effective disinfection of explants derived from corms was achieved, and multiplication rates of 5 to 10 shoots per explant were obtained within 3 to 4 weeks, with plantlets ready for acclimatization in 8 to 12 weeks. Molecular characterization revealed high genetic variability among the analyzed varieties, based on differences in the number and size of the amplicons obtained with SSR markers. The R40 marker showed high discrimination power. These results demonstrate the potential of SSR markers for differentiating abaca genotypes and support their use in genetic improvement and conservation programs. The developed protocols represent a key tool for producing pathogen-free plant material and for strengthening commercial propagation and germplasm conservation strategies for abaca in Costa Rica. El abacá (Musa textilis Née) es una planta perenne de la familia Musaceae, de gran relevancia por las fibras obtenidas a partir de su pseudotallo. Costa Rica, tercer productor mundial de esta fibra, enfrenta limitaciones en la propagación y en la selección de variedades debido a la dependencia de material vegetativo y a la escasa información genética disponible. En este estudio se desarrollaron protocolos eficientes para el establecimiento in vitro y la micropropagación a gran escala de variedades comerciales de abacá cultivadas en Costa Rica, así como su caracterización genética mediante marcadores de Secuencias Simples Repetidas (SSR). Se logró una desinfección efectiva de explantes provenientes de cormos y una multiplicación de 5 a 10 brotes por explante en un periodo de 3 a 4 semanas, alcanzando la formación de plántulas listas para aclimatación en 8 a 12 semanas. La caracterización molecular evidenció una amplia variabilidad genética entre las variedades analizadas, mediante diferencias en el número y tamaño de los amplicones obtenidos para los marcadores SSR. El marcador R40 mostró un alto poder discriminativo. Estos resultados demuestran el potencial de los SSR para diferenciar genotipos de abacá y respaldan su uso en programas de conservación y mejora genética. Los protocolos desarrollados representan una herramienta clave para la producción de material vegetal libre de patógenos y para el fortalecimiento de estrategias de propagación comercial y conservación del germoplasma de abacá en Costa Rica.

This study investigates the mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of abaca-polyester composites made using lignin from fluorescent perianths of jack fruit. The primary scope of this research is to study the viability of producing lignin from waste jack fruit fluorescent perianths and how it influence the mechanical, wear, creep and flammability properties of abaca-polyester composite. The lignin biopolymer was extracted via thermo-chemical method and composites were prepared using hand layup method. The produced composites were evaluated based on American society of testing and materials (ASTM) standards and the results revealed significant improvements in tensile and flexural strength. The addition of abaca fiber and 3.0 vol% of lignin in PA2 composite shows the highest tensile strength, while the PA3 at 5.0 vol% of lignin shows slight shortfall due to clustering of particle. However the PA3 outperform in impact strength, hardness, and wear resistance. The Flammability test reveals effective self-extinguishing properties for PA3 exhibiting superior performance due to lignin’s char-forming capabilities. Moreover, creep and TGA analysis demonstrated that the incorporation of abaca fiber and lignin of 5 vol% contributed to reduced creep strain and mass loss at initial, middle and final stages. SEM analysis confirms the effective interaction of lignin particle with resin matrix and ensured effective toughening. The study concludes the optimization potential of abaca-polyester composites, with 3.0% lignin identified as an optimal concentration for balanced improvements across various properties, providing valuable insights for composite material design and applications.