MICROPROPAGATION OF MUSA ACUMINATA X M. BALBISIANA CV. PISANG AWAK (ABB GENOME) AND THREE OTHER CULTIVARS

Abstract

A comparative study on three clonal propagation systems was carried out on banana cv. Pisang Awak for production of plantlets. The temporary immersion system (TIS) was found to be the most suitable method for in vitro propagation of Pisang Awak plantlets as compared to the gelled medium and the shake flask system. There was high shoot proliferation and more roots formation when they were cultured in MS medium supplemented with 5.0 mg/L BA in TIS. The plantlets produced from gelled medium system and TIS also acclimatized well in greenhouse except those derived from the shake flask system where none of the plantlet survived after transferred to the soil. The optimized TIS propagation protocol was found to be effective for mass propagation of other three banana cultivars, Pisang Raja, Pisang Rastali and Pisang Berangan.