1. Introduction

#### 1.1. Background

Bananas and plantains are edible and vegetatively propagated parthenocarpic species of genus Musa belonging to the family Musaceae which according to Meng et al. [1] has wild seeded species native to South-East Asia. These seedless edible species are thought to have originated through intra- and interspecies crosses between M. acuminata Colla and M. balbisiana Colla, including some back crosses [2]. These species constitute a staple food, a key commercial crop and a major source of raw materials for both beverage and handicraft industries for hundred millions of people in the world. They include 20% of the population of the United Republic of Tanzania (URT), and its production promotes the country to be the second largest producer after Uganda in east Africa [3–5].

#### 1.2. Problem statement and justification

The east African highland bananas (EAHBs) are currently threatened by several pests and diseases, which need diploid parents with farmers and other consumers' desirable traits for inclusion in the breeding programme [6]. The edible diploid landrace 'Mshale' (Mchare [7], AA genomic group) of URT was identified to be highly similar to M. acuminata spp. malaccensis cv. 'Pisang lilin'. Research using numerical taxonomy on AAA-EAHB genomic subgroup from Eastern DRC and Tanzania has shown certain level of relationship with 'Mshale malembo', suggesting that it is one of the ancestors [8, 9]. These observations were supported by Simmonds [7] and De Langhe et al. [10] but need to be confirmed at a molecular level. Such research has not yet been done and remains dearth for the inclusion of the Tanzania's landrace in breeding programme. Elsewhere, such research using the AFLP technique has been conducted by Ude et al. [11], on phylogenetic origin of AAA-Gros Michel and AAA-Yangambi km 5. The technique has shown that these cultivars have similar ancestors that have contributed to their development. In this respect, M. acuminata spp. malaccensis cv. 'Pisang lilin' was identified as a source of one of their genomes (A). This supported the use of landrace AA 'Paka' from Zanzibar in the improvement of 'Gros Michel' in Jamaïca [7, 10].

#### 1.3. Hypothesis, technology justification and objective

AFLP technique shows a dominant mode of inheritance and hence constitutes its limiting factor for this study. On the other hand, research using SSR markers has confirmed these preceding findings [12]. Moreover, the fact that the genetic map has 11 linkage groups of Pisang lilin was also reported [13]. Therefore, the determination of identity and confirmation of the contribution of 'Mshale' in the AAA-EAHB using microsatellite markers determined from Pisang lilin could be a useful tool for the regeneration of subgroups escaping genetic erosion due to pests. This would constitute different scientific point of view from the current belief that AAA-EAHB comes from somaclonal variation [14]. The study aimed to establish the cladistic relationship of the banana landrace 'AA-Mshale' in AAA-EAHB which may constitute a way for reconstituting the EAHB through breeding.
