MadSci Network: Botany |
Most cultivated bananas are triploid (three sets of chromosomes) so cannot produce seeds because successful meiosis requires an even number of chromosome sets. There are diploid bananas that have seeds but there are so many hard seeds that they they need to be strained out resulting in "baby food." You might have gotten a diploid banana. Other possibilities are that there was an error in meiosis and some functional gametes were produced, allowing seeds to form or there was a spontaneous doubling of chromosome sets from triploid to hexaploid that restored fertility. You might want to contact Dole and ask if they are interested in the seeds.
Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Botany.