Micropropagation of banana (Musa spp) using temporary immersion bioreactor system

Abstract

Banana is an important crop in the tropics which possess the potential for commercial production in Nigeria. Large scale production requires large volume of planting materials which may be difficult to obtain using conventional methods of propagation. Temporary immersion bioreactor system (TIBs) is a cost effective method for micropropagation of plants. The present study was carried out to develop an efficient method for rapid multiplication of banana using temporary immersion bioreactor system (TIBs). Banana microshoots were regenerated from young suckers obtained from field grown plants using conventional plant tissue culture. Microshoots of 2cm length were used as explants for multiplication in temporary immersion bioreactor system. Ten (10) explants were cultured in bioreactor bottles containing Murashinge and Skoog (MS) liquid media supplemented with different concentrations of 6-bezylaminopurine (BAP) with or without 250mg/L Activated Charcoal (AC). Results showed that explants cultured in media supplemented with 2 mg/L or 1mg/L BAP without AC gave the highest shoot multiplication rate of 900% and 800%, respectively compared to hormone free media. Production of competent plants (plants ready for ex vitro establisment) were however, influenced by the presence of AC and the highest percentage of competent plants (80%) were produced when media was fortified with 1mg/L BAP+ 250mg AC. Regenerated plants were successfully established in the field and were morphologically normal and fertile.