The Taxonomy Advisory Group (TAG) was established to provide guidance on the implementation of the Global Conservation Strategy for Musa and to offer expert advise on issues constraining the use and conservation of bananas and plantains. The group consists of a growing community of experts, researchers and collection managers who operate through an open, web-based discussion forum. The TAG held its first meeting in Cameroun in 2006.

At the Cameroun meeting, the experts identified lack of agreement on Musa taxonomy as one of the main factors preventing curators, researchers and users from rationalizing collections, correctly identifying cultivars and optimizing the use of Musa diversity. They also pointed to the need for a reliable information system to aid in the selection of cultivars for research, breeding and introduction to growers. Finally, while the value of wild relatives as a reservoir of agronomic traits for breeding improved crops to deal with present and future environmental challenges is appreciated, it is poorly recognized in terms of action to determine their status and ensure their conservation. To address these constraints, the participants identified five tasks:

• To develop information tools for accessing accurate characterization data at the accession and variety level to aid the selection and use of Musa diversity.
• To evaluate the status of wild species and threatened cultivars with the aim of ensuring that genetic diversity is conserved for present and future use.
• To improve the characterization of Musa through the comparative study and documentation of a set of reference cultivars.
• To agree and implement a procedure for rationalizing the collections of the International Transit Centre.
• To develop an accepted nomenclature and glossary of terms by which the Musa research community and beyond may communicate and understand each other.

Each task is led by two moderators in consultation with the group. The task moderators are responsible for guiding the discussions and bringing in external expertise as necessary. The discussions are held through a web discussion forum.