EFFECT OF SALINITY ON THE MICRO-PROPAGATION EFFICIENCY IN BANANA (Musa spp.)

To know what a physio-chemical situation in the micro-propagating banana variety Basrai under saline conditions, an experiment was conducted. In vitro plantlets were developed by culturing meristematic stem tips (explant) for 3 weeks on organogenesis (8.0 μM BA; 10.0 μM IAA; 3.0 g l phytagel), 3 weeks on shoot induction (15.0 μM BA; 1.0 g l phytagel) and 4 weeks on shoot multiplication (10.0 μM BA; 2.0 g l phytagel) media. The micro-propagating plantlets were cultured on 3 different saline conditions (0 mM, 50 mM and 100 mM NaCl), variable morpho-biochemical characters were observed. With the increase in NaCl stress; Ca, K, total protein, explant proliferation, fresh weight and dry weight were decreased while Na, Cl and reducing sugar contents were increased, however reversed situation was noted in plantlets cultured on normal micro-propagating medium. 80% > plantlets were rooted in the presence of 0.5 mg l IBA while reduced to >10% and >1% at 50 mM and 100 mM NaCl, respectively.