Sapling Production in Banana

• Importance: Banana is the largest tissue-culture propagated fruit crop in the world.
• Reasons for Tissue Culture: Traditional suckers often transmit pests and viral diseases (like Banana Bunchy Top Virus). Tissue culture ensures healthy, true-to-type plants.

Stages

a. Primary Hardening:

• Plantlets transferred to protrays or cups containing sterilized cocopeat.
• Kept under mist chamber with 90 percent humidity and 28°C.
• Hardening period: 4–6 weeks.

b. Secondary Hardening:

• Plants transferred to polybags (9 × 4 inch) with soil: sand: FYM (1:1:1).
• Kept under 50 percent shade net.
• Weekly sprays of micronutrients and bioagents (Trichoderma, Pseudomonas).
• Hardened plants grow up to 30–40 cm height with 5–6 leaves.

c. Field Readiness:

• Plantlets ready for planting at 2–3 months after acclimatization.
• Survival rate >90 percent if hardened properly.