Leaf anatomy of genotypes of banana plant grown under coloured shade nets

This study aimed to evaluate  the effect of spectral light quality on different anatomical features of banana tree plantlets grown under coloured shade nets. Banana plants of five genotypes (Maca, Thap Maeo, Caipira, BRS Platina and Princesa), obtained from micropropagation, were grown under white, blue, red and black nets, with shade of 50%, in a completely randomized design. After 90 days of acclimatization under nets, the leaves were collected and analyzed anatomically following basic protocol of plant microtechnique. Cultivation under white net provided greater thickness of epidermis cells, hypodermis on the adaxial face and palisade parenchyma; and greater stomatal density on the adaxial face; both the red and white nets, however, increased stomatal density on the abaxial face. The use of white net, during the acclimatization phase, is recommended  for cultivation of banana plantlets obtained of micropropagation. Keywords: Musa sp., acclimatization, spectral quality, anatomical plasticity African Journal of Biotechnology , Vol 13(23) 2359-2366