Improvement on invitro propagation of dwarf cavendish banana Musa spp types using thidiazuron and active charcoal 219

In-vitro banana (Musa spp) micro-propagation provides major advantages such as a rapid multiplication and production of disease-free planting material compared to propagation using bits and suckers and facilitates rapid introduction of new selections. This paper focuses on optimizing cytokinin for in-vitro propagation of 'Dwarf Cavendish' and two new banana selections 'Gazipasa 5' and 'Anamur 4'. Benzylaminopurine [(BAP) (5, 10, 20, and 30 ?M)] and thidiazuron [(TDZ) (0.4, 1.0, and 2.5 ?M)] were compared in combination with 1 ?M indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) to induce shoot multiplication. The effect on rooting of active charcoal alone (5 g L-1) and with 1 ?M indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) or naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) was also evaluated. Shoot proliferation was significantly greater on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with TDZ than on BAP for each of the three genotypes. The BAP concentration at 20 ?M produced 4-5 normal shoots per explant. However, abnormal shoots were observed on 30 ?M BAP. Effect of thidiazuron varied among to the genotypes. Optimum multiplication of 'Dwarf Cavendish' was achieved on MS medium with 2.5 ?M TDZ and IAA, whereas 'Gazipasa S' and 'Anamur 4' maximum shoots induction took place on MS with 1 ?M TDZ and 1 ?M IAA. Charcoal alone or with IBA induced significantly better plantlet elongation and root production than charcoal with NAA. The IBA improved root length and stem diameter. Under optimum conditions, 'Gazipasa 5' showed highest levels of multiplication (7.50 shoots explant-1) and root production (13.99 roots plant-1), followed by 'Dwarf Cavendish' then 'Anamur 4'.