Plantlet Production through Development of Competent Multiple Meristem Cultures from Male Inflorescence of Banana, Musa acuminta cv. 'Pisang Mas' (AA)

A protocol was developed for the establishment of competent multiple meristem cultures of banana, Musa acuminta cv. 'Pisang Mas' (AA) derived from male inflorescence. The white floral meristem appeared after 21 days in medium supplemented with 10 µM of N6-benzylaminopurine (BA) and 1 µM Indole -3-Acetic Acid (IAA). White floral meristem were optimized in medium supplemented with 100 µM (BA) and 1 µM (IAA) until a high amount of compact floral meristem were obtained. However these compact floral meristems were induced a low number of multiple shoots. Therefore, the compact floral meristem were induced to maximum number of green multiple meristem cultures after 14 days in medium supplemented with 20 µM NAA (naphthaleneacetic acid), 1 µM (IAA) and 100 µM of BA .Further cultured of individual shoot clusters from green multiple meristems resulted in 12.3±0.26 shoots multiplication when cultured onto MS medium supplemented with 100 µM of N6-benzylaminopurine (BA) and 1 µM indole -3-acetic acid (IAA). The regenerated shoots were rooted after being transferred onto MS medium supplemented with 1% (w/v) of activated charcoal for 14 days. This study has demonstrated that green competent multiple meristem culture derived from male inflorescence can produce plantlet and could be an alternative material for mass micropropagation of bananas.