Effects of sterilization, plant growth regulator and media for upscaling in vitro propagation of Musa balbisiana Colla cv. Abu nipah using temporary immersion bioreactor systems
The expansion of banana production, especially cv. Abu Nipah is limited due to
shortage of quality planting materials available to the farmers. Hence, the study
aims to establish a protocol for micropropagation of M. balbisiana cv. Abu
Nipah and subsequent upscaling via temporary immersion bioreactor system
(TIBs). The objectives of this study are; 1) to study the effect of different
ethanol and Clorox ratio on surface sterilization, 2) to study the effect of
cytokinins on multiplication and elongation, 3) to study the effect of single and
half-cut explant on multiplication, 4) to upscale the plantlet production via shake
flask and TIB system and 5) to determine suitable potting media for
acclimatization of cv. Abu Nipah.
The sword suckers were surface sterilized with different ratio of ethanol to
Clorox. Multiplication and elongation of cv. Abu Nipah plantlets were carried out
using plant growth regulators; 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), kinetin, thidiazuron
(TDZ) and 2-isopentenyl adenine (2iP) at 5 mg/L and different explant types;
single and half-cut explant. The culture was up-scaled with different systems;
shake flask, TIB and solid media, and different media formulations; Murashige
and Skoog (MS) and Gamborg B5 (B5) media. In vitro rooting was conducted
using different auxins; 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), indole-3-butyric acid
(IBA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) at 1 mg/L. Lastly, plantlets were
acclimatized to ex vitro environment using different potting mediums.
Surface sterilization using 100%:100% ethanol to Clorox produced the highest
explants survival (90%). Shoot multiplication and elongation were optimum in
MS media supplemented with 5 mg/L of BAP using single explant. Upscaling using RITA® system produced the highest number of shoot (5.93) and shoot
length (3.80 cm) while the highest number of root (11.06) and root length
(10.70 cm) obtained in 1 mg/L NAA. Lastly, potting medium of peat moss :
perlite (1:1 ratio) produced 92% plant survival. It can be concluded that this
protocol can be used to mass propagate Musa balbisiana cv. Abu Nipah
