Comparative Genomic Analysis in Zingiberales: What Can We Learn from Banana to Enable Ensete and Boesenbergia to Reach Their Potential?

Within the Zingiberales there are many orphan crops grown in Africa and Asia where recently started genomic efforts will have an impact for their future understanding and breeding. Advanced genomics and genome knowledge of the taxonomically closely related genus Musa will help identify genes and their function. We will discuss relevant recent work with Musa and results from DNA sequencing, examinations of diversity and studies of genome structure, gene expression and epigenetic control in Boesenbergia and Ensete. Ensete ventricosum (Ethiopean banana) is an important starch staple food in Ethiopia. It is harvested just as the monocarpic plant starts to flower, a few years after planting, and the stored starch extracted from the pseudo-stem and corm. A genome sequence has been published, but there is little genomics. Characterization of the diversity in the species and understanding of the differences to Musa will enable selection and breeding for crop improvement to meet the requirements of increasing populations, climate change and environmental sustainability. Boesenbergia rotunda (medicinal finger ginger) is widely used in traditional medicine in Asia and has been shown to produce secondary metabolites with antiviral activity. For high throughput propagation and metabolite production in vitro culture is employed; embryogenic calli of B. rotunda are able to regenerate into plants but lose this ability after prolonged periods in cell suspension media. Epigenetic factors, including histone modifications and DNA methylation are likely to play crucial roles in the regulation of genes involved in totipotency and plant regeneration. Further details will be given at www.molcyt.com.