Direct shoot regeneration from male immature flower buds of Musa paradisiaca Linn. cv. Poovan (AAB)

Abstract

A tissue culture system has been developed to multiply Musa paradisiaca cv. Poovan using male immature flower bud and to establish it in ex vitro condition. Size of explants has been found an influencing factor for culture initiation. Immature male flower bud segments of 3 cm size were ideal for better survival and subsequent shoot regeneration. Direct shoot regeneration was achieved from male immature flower buds on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with varying concentrations of plant growth regulators. Initially, actively dividing meristematic region developed at the basal region of flower buds near the bract axil, which later grew into green shoot buds in most of the PGR treatments. Single use of benzyl adenine were found beneficial than kinetin or addition of indole-3-acetic acid. Maximum production of 31.0 ± 0.65 shoots was achieved on MS + 3% sucrose + 6 mg/L benzyl adenine in 15 weeks. Isolated healthy shoots were rooted in half-strength MS medium with 150 mg/L activated charcoal + 30 g/L sucrose + 1 mg/L indole-3-butyric acid within 15 days and they established successfully in greenhouse conditions with 85 % survival.