A novel cost-effective micropropagation strategy for large-scale multiplication of banana (Musa acuminata) cv. Grand Naine
1Department of Life Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. 2Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Loyola College, Chennai, India. 3Department of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Tennessee State University, Nashville, USA. Corresponding e-mail: ramesh.joshi1@sharda.ac.in
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2026.v28i01.6
Full text PDF Banana (Musa acuminata cv. Grand Naine) is a globally important triploid cultivar valued for its yield and uniformity. Yet, large-scale cultivation is constrained by the limited multiplication rate and disease transmission through conventional sucker propagation. The present study develops and validates a cost-effective micropropagation protocol integrating optimized initiation, liquid-phase multiplication using reusable glass beads and ex vitro rooting in Soil-Rite substrate. Shoot induction was maximized on MS medium containing 4.0 mg L-1 BAP, while the combination of 1.0 mg L-1 IAA and 0.5 mg L-1 TDZ produced the highest proliferation (8.67 ± 0.47 shoots clump-1). Rooting was most efficient at 1.0 mg L-1 IBA, achieving up to 99% induction in Soil-Rite. Successive sub-cultures (cycles 1–10) revealed peak multiplication at cycle 6 and declining regeneration thereafter, emphasizing the importance of limiting sub-culture duration. Early-cycle plantlets exhibited superior hardening (96%) and field survival (92.7%). Comparative cost analysis demonstrated that substituting agar with glass beads during multiplication and employing Soil-Rite rooting reduced production expenses by 52% per 1,000 plantlets. The proposed hybrid workflow thus shortens culture duration, improves survival efficiency, and substantially lowers unit cost, providing a scalable and commercially viable strategy for mass propagation of banana cv. Grand Naine and other elite Musa cultivars.
