STUDIES ON HARDENING AND ACCLIMITIZATION OF MICROPROPAGATED PLANTLETS OF BANANA CV. GRAND NAINE

Abstract

The experimental plant material of cv. Grand Naine was raised through tissue culture on MS medium using suckers as explants. The MS medium supplemented with BAP 4.00 mg/L+ IAA 2.00 mg/L was used for shoot multiplication. The rooting was obtained on MS (half strength) medium fortified with IBA 1.00 mg/L and activated charcoal 200 mg/L. The in vitro rooted plantlets were hardened and acclimatized by using different treatments. Plants transplanted at the age of 4 weeks after root initiation gave maximum survival (100.00 %) during transplanting. These plants were hardened in glass beaker and polythene bags singly or in cluster. The maximum survival during hardening (100.00 %) was observed by covering the plantlets with glass beaker individually and kept in culture room. Out of various potting mixture tried, the potting mixture containing soil: sand and FYM (2:1:1 v/v/v) gave maximum height and survival of plantlets. The results showed that out of different potting mixtures used for hardening soil: sand and FYM (2:1:1 v/v/v) showed cent percent survival.