Musa voonii

Within the suspected extent of occurrence for the species, over 20% of tree cover has been lost between 2001 and 2018 (GFW 2020). Between 2001 and 2017, 1.85 Mha of industrial plantation was established in Malaysian Borneo and industrial oil palm development has been identified as the major driver of the area's deforestation (Gaveau et al. 2016, Gaveau et al. 2018). Musa voonii is regarded as a lowland species (Häkkinen 2004), making it more likely to be affected by plantation expansion than those species preferring steeper topography (Pirker et al. 2016). Agriculture is also evident across the native range, and large logging and wood fibre concessions are visible (GFW 2020). In the Lawas area, where the largest subpopulation of the species is present (Häkkinen 2004), the species occurs outside protected areas, heightening its vulnerability to these threats. Research is necessary to identify the scale and severity of threats in action.

The genus Musa is listed in Annex I of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) which aims to guarantee sustainable agriculture and food security through the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, as well as ensuring the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of their use (FAO 2009). The species has been reported from the 1,405.69 km² Taman Negara Banjaran Crocker National Park and the Bukit Sembiling Nature Reserve, so passive conservation is presumed in these areas (UNEP-WCMC and IUCN 2020); it is unclear whether active management is practised. It is not known to be conserved ex situ elsewhere (Ruas et al. 2017, BGCI 2020, Genesys Global Portal on Plant Genetic Resources 2020). As such, gathering of wild germplasm material for ex situ conservation from extant wild plants is a conservation priority. Site protection of the major subpopulation in the Lawas area is also recommended.