Effect of different media on primary hardening of banana tissue culture plants in greenhouse conditions

Abstract

An experiment was conducted on primary hardened banana plantlets of the Grand Naine variety. Among the eight combinations of growing media, the combination T5- comprising soil, vermiculite, and vermicompost in a 2:1:1 ratio produced the highest number of roots (6.87), leaves (5.27), leaf area (12.71 cm²), and survival percentage (80.25%). It also showed the highest stomata frequency per mm² on both the upper (37.33) and lower (129.67) leaf surfaces. The maximum shoot length (5.01 cm) was observed in T4, which consisted of soil and vermicompost in a 2:1 ratio. In contrast, the soil only medium (T1) recorded the shortest shoot length (3.56 cm), fewest roots (4.07), lowest number of leaves (3.93), smallest leaf area (10.27 cm²), highest survival percentage (39.64%), and lowest stomata frequency on both the upper (23.00) and lower (74.00) leaf surfaces. Media combination T5- (Soil + Vermiculite + Vermicompost- 2:1:1 v/v) gives better performance in primary hardening.