STANDARDIZATION OF REGENERATION PROTOCOL FOR BANANA (MUSA SPP.) CV. GRAND NAINE AND ASSESSMENT OF SILICON EFFECT ON IN - VITRO GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

The present study was conducted to standardize the protocol for in-vitromicro propagation of banana(Musa spp.) cv. Grand Naine, shoot multiplication, root induction by using different concentrations of BAP, IAA, IBA and NAAand to evaluate the in-vitro effect of silicon on chlorophyll content of banana. The suckers were first surface sterilized with different sterilizing agent like Hgcl2 (0.1%) for 5 min and additionally sodium hypochlorite (5%) for 10 min for avoiding contamination in establishment of culture. Among the different concentrations of hormones, the combination of BAP 3 mg/l + IAA 2 mg/l gave the maximum results for the establishment of culture. For rooting, IAA 1 mg/l and NAA 1 mg/l gave the best results. These established cultures were further inoculated on MS media supplemented with various concentrations of Silicon component, Potassium silicate and Calcium silicate at 0.5, 1, 1.5 ?g/l and these cultures were maintained for 30-35 days till the rooting stage. The media supplemented with Silicon led to increase in the chlorophyll content of the subcultured in-vitro propagated plantlets. Mainly the media supplemented with 0.5 mg/l of calcium silicate showed an enhanced effect on chlorophyll content.