EFFECT OF BENZYLADENINE ON MICROPROPAGATION OF BANANA SHOOTS TIP

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Agric. Botany Dept., Fac. of Agric., Ain Shams Univ., P.O. Box 68, Hadayek Shobra 11241, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

The effect of benzyl adenine (BA) at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 mg l-1 on micropropagation of banana shoot tips was studied. This study also included the morphological responses of banana shoot tips especially with 0 & 6 mg l-1 of BA treatments in relation to some biochemical compositions (total soluble phenols, free amino acids, total soluble sugars, chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids). Growth in 6  mg l-1 of BA resulted in increase in the most morphological parameters compared to the rest treatments. The results showed that 6 mg l-1 of BA treatment significantly increased fresh and dry weights, number of shootlets, shootlet and root length and number of leaves and roots/plantlet as compared without BA. Accumulation of total soluble sugars, free amino acids and chlorophylls was enhanced by 6 mg l-1 of BA while the reverse was true with the rest biochemical compositions (total soluble phenols and carotenoids). The biochemical status and BA treatment at 6 mg l-1 during micropropagation of shoot tips in banana may be important for the development and optimization of strategies for large scale propagation and germplasm conservation. 
 

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