Induced mutations in banana var. Nendran

Abstract

The present investigations was carried out in the Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 1985-88 and in the plant tissue culture Laboratory attached to the Department of Plantation Crops, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, Thrissur during 1986-88. The project was taken up to standardise the techniques for induced mutagenesis in-vitro and in-vitro in banana (Musa paradiciaca L.) var. nendran and aslo to analyse the direct effect of 60 Co gamma rays on growth and bunch characters in the vM1 and vM3 generations. One, two and three months old suckers of various sizes (after removal of 25 to 75 per cent of the pseudostem) were exposed to 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 kR gamma rays. For in-vitro mutagenesis, isolated shoot tips were exposed to 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25 and 1.50 kR gamma rays. Ex-vitro analysis of five plants per treatment per exposure was done in the vM1 generation for various growth, bunch and fruit characters.