Effect of carbohydrate source, pH and supporting media on in vitro rooting of banana (musa spp.) cv. Grand naine plantlets

The present study was conducted in the Division of Fruit Science, SKUAST-Jammu during the year 2012 to 2013 to investigate the effect of different carbohydrate source, pH and supporting media on in vitro rooting of banana plantlets using MS medium with 0.1 mg/L IBA and activated charcoal. Sucrose in the medium remarkably influences the rooting of plantlets. In the absence of sucrose, culture could not survive after 3 weeks of incubation. In the sucrose containing media, 30 g/L gave the best result. Out of different pH levels tested, minimum time for root initiation with longest length of root was obtained on pH 5.5. The reduction of agar concentration from 0.8 to 0.4% in the medium improve the in vitro root and shoot characters as compare to other supporting structures viz., Whatman No. 1 filter paper, ordinary filter paper and brown paper.