Liquid medium culture method for rapid multiplication of banana (Musa acuminata) cv. ‘GRAND NAINE’ through tissue culture

Abstract

For an increasing number of plantlets, liquid culture methods have demonstrated a number of important advantages over\rconventional semi-solid micropropagation, including several fold increase in multiplication rate, reduction in medium\rcost and also space, energy and lobour requirements. These cost-saving advantages have been the driving force for\rincreased attention to the use of liquid systems. Effects of liquid medium using different simple low cost culture containers\ron in vitro propagation of banana cv. ‘GRAND NAINE’ were investigated and compared with conventional solid\rmedium. The treatments studied included: Growtech container with nylon wire mesh support; simple polypropylene\rcontainer with cotton fibre support; simple polypropylene container with partial immersion, simple polypropylene container\rwith full immersion and conventional baby jar bottle with agar gelled medium. Simple polypropylene container with\rcotton fibre support was found effective than that of agar-gelled medium. The plantlets produced were also sturdier and\rbetter quality.