Micropropagation of Malaysian banana cultivars ( Musa spp.) using a modified twin flask system.

摘要

The commercial planting of Malaysian banana cultivars has resulted in a demand for planting materials which is greater than the supply. In-vitro propagation of banana using the conventional gel-medium was found to be slow and labour intensive. Our study showed that micropropagation using liquid-culture medium in a modified aerated twin flask system could increase the number of shoots formed from each shoot explant. Dividing the shoot explants longitudinally and culturing them in the twin flask system could further enhance the formation of multiple shoots. Four half-shoot explants, derived from in-vitro plantlets, cultured in 100 ml shoot proliferation medium in a 500-ml flask gave the best results. The medium was supplied to the explants for 20 min twice a day. The addition of 30 g/L sucrose into the proliferation medium maintained at pH 5.7 could induce 6-7 shoots from each half-shoot explant after 5 weeks of culture in the presence of light with intensity of 2000-2500 Lux. The plantlets were acclimatised by transferring them into plastic trays containing organic soil:top soil:sand mixture (1:1:1) and placed in a shaded greenhouse. After 2 weeks, they were transferred to polybags containing the same potting mixture and placed in the greenhouse for two more weeks.