Macropropagation of banana - Effect of bio-fertilizers and plant hormones

Stimulation of lateral bud development and plantlet production is generally accomplished through decapitation methods in banana. Attempts were made in the present study to enhance the efficacy of decortication in elite cv. Bangladesh Malbhog using additives like bio-fertilizers and plant growth hormones. This trial was carried out with suckers weighing 1.0–1.5 kg and sawdust as substrate. All treatments tested, showed good response in terms of plantlet production and enhanced bud proliferation, growth and better root profiles compared to control. Treatment T11 (Bacillus subtilis + BAP) produced the maximum number of primary buds (3.77) followed by T3 (Trichoderma viride) and T6 (AMF + T. viride) with 3.50 and 3.47 buds respectively as compared to control (2.03 buds). Secondary bud production was also observed higher in treatment T11 with 5.70 buds per sucker followedby treatments T3 and T6 with 4.70 and 4.57, respectively. As far as tertiary bud production was compared, T11 gave the highest of 7.33 buds followed by T3 (7.20) and T6 (6.70) with a least of 3.33 buds in control. Addition of IBA and Azospirillum (T7) were observed to have good response in terms of root formation and enhanced bud regeneration (5.77 tertiary buds). Total number of buds produced was also observed highest in T11 (16.80) followed by T3 (15.40) and T6 (14.73) suggesting that treatment combinations, B. subtilis + BAP and AMF + T. viride, were effective for macropropagation of cv. Bangladesh Malbhog.