Effects of Different Hormonal Concentrations and Culture Medium on Multiplication and Rooting of Stage II Banana (Musa cavendishii)

Abstract

Banana (Musa spp.) breeding has been a slow developing process, due to the absence of seeds and low propagation rates. Selection of valuable cultivars and micro-propagation are promising techniques to accelerate the cultivation process. Therefore, callus culture was carried out, aiming the establishment of plant regeneration protocol that might be used in banana breeding programs. Sword suckers were used as explants, whereas vigorously grown apical shoots obtained from initial in vitro germinated seedlings were sub-cultured in six different MS media at pH 5.8, supplemented with MS Minerals + MS Vitamins + 36.7*FeNaEDTA + 3% sucrose + 0.65% agar (+) different hormonal conditions.  Among the different concentrations tested within the experiment, MS Media (MS Minerals + MS Vitamins + 36.7*FeNaEDTA + 3% sucrose + 0.65% agar) with hormones 1 TDZ + 10 IBA showed the highest shoot proliferation and a high rate of multiplication. Even so, there were no significant differences observed for root initiation and plantlet establishment among the six tested medium.