Banana Tissue Culture - why only G9?

Farm Questions
1

Hi All,

During my recent visit to Agri Fair a lot of TC labs were on display. Almost every one had TC G9 on display with some huge Banana bunches weighing over 75 KGs !!. The cost per plant was ranging from Rs 10 to 12.

To my surprise, the plants of Yellaki Banana, there were almost nil. No TC plants on this at all. Most of the mktg guys were elusive, also some said they can supply but costs Rs 25 :astonished: with 100% advance. Again no data on its output etc.

Can any one throw some light as to why we have TC of only G9 and not of other banana plants. I think we have over 100 varieties of Bananas here and it also being native to India. Yet right from govt horticulture labs to private every one has only G9.
It looks like this G9 being propagated by all, its great great great grandfather came from Israel.

Is it lack of research ?? or something fishy here ???

In my field I am planning to go with G9 and also the yelakki Banana. The pups of yellaki banana are costing Rs 1 to 2 each. We need to go the fields and pluck them ourselves.

Can some one give their valuable advise ??.

Regards

Murali.

PS : Request Chandra to start a new forum limiting discussions only related to Tissue Culture & its technology and why TC is restricted to only a few varieties. I am told TC is only a method of propagation.

2

g9 is most widly consumed world wide&marketed&,now in india.our varity are locally eaten &marked. our people are not taking effort to promte our indian varities &put in money.

3

Hi,
I am Naveen. Yes I agree to the fact that only G9 is available as TC as of now, but 2yrs back I did manage to get TC for Yellakki from Palm Groove Nursery of Khodays. Plant growth was good up until flowering, but unfortunately the crop got affected by PANAMA WILT and lost the whole crop. AND THAT IS THE REASON WHY TC PLANTS NOT AVAILABLE FOR YELLAKKI. Labs (at least in India, as far as I know)have failed to genetically modify this species (YELAKKI) to make them resistant to Panama Wilt. Where as G9 is resistant to Panama Wilt. At this rate i’m sure Yelakki banana will be wiped out of existence.

4

Market/Consumer is the deciding authority. Shelve life, hands structure, yield, appearance, per fruit qualities, bunch shape, plant resistance to most of the diseases, made Grand Nain or Grand Naine (derived from french and means “Large Dwarf.”) as a popular banana variant across the globe.

Regards
Raghu Ram
09848203647

5

Good Evening,

This is a nice question, first of all i am Rajesh from gujarat, i am working with banana from last four years as an Area Manager

G9 is a high yielding variety compared to others means cost of Tc plant of G9 ranges from 10 to 12 rs/plant but once we plant if we are going for sucker selection than it will give more production than Mother plant. it is possible with other variety also but in other variety (eg. TW )all selected suckers/plants will never give us best results ex. Choking, variation etc. but in G9 good and best production will be there in continues cropping.

Thank you

6

If one has go for tissue culturing yelakki/nanjangud rasbale/and cavendish ,they are soupposed make sure that the material collected by them is totally free from diseases In case of G9 Banana, maerial is collected from the tissue cultured plantations which being in first year of growth may not carry the disease/might resist its occurance. therefore getting material for tissue culture is easy and secondly g9 is proven high yeilder and the bunch has good shelf life. consumers are also happy with the size and taste. thus g9 is in thmarket while others require efforts tosell.

7

Hi All,

I think compared to G9, the consumption of Yellakki is more. For all festivals and functions, only Yellakki is much preferred.

As regards to yield its a misconception. G9 though has a greater yield, approxing 40 KGs per plant, but the selling price is only Rs 5 to 6 / KG where as farm picking price for yellakki is around Rs 25. The yield per plant is 8 to 15 kgs per plants. So irrespective, the yield per plant amounts to Rs 200 to 250.

Panama wilt is another problem all together, but why yellaki is not available thru TC ?? The advantage of TC over bulbs is that here the plants starts to flower at same time where as in bulbs they start to flower at its wish :'( :'(.

Regards

Murali

8

Dear Murali,

For Discussing this topic it is better to contact Mr.Rajesh Somi,MSc (Horti)-Pomologist (Biofarms),

Area Manager,DFV ,Gujarat

09099070086
1288953035bjornwitte.pdf (1.83 MB)

9

Hi All,

Biofarms, I think you have misunderstood my question. I know about the yield and all other things. But since you are from this field. I am posing this question to you.

  1. Can any banana species be propagated thru Tissue Culture ? Forget about disease etc.

  2. Similar to Banana , can any plants be propagated thru Tissue culture. If so why we dont have other plants, if not why so and only some are under TC??

  3. What is the main criterion for the Tissue Culture Propagation ??

Or can you explain to me and others more on Tissue Culture ??

Regards

Murali

10

Dear Murali,

Why I Told you to contact DFV, they are the masters in Banana Export.

– G9 – widely accepted by all over the world due to its peculiar charecterestics,-- Golden yellow

color, Prevent rapid softening of fruit-- increased shelf life.

See the file about DFV, Market demand etc…

Yellakki – is restricted to some states or some season.

If you approach any tissue culture lab with minimum 50,000 to 1 lakh plants with advance and

agreement they will produce the plants as per your requirement.

Irregular bunching is due to size difference of suckers

where as in tissue culture derived plantlets corm size is uniform and Auxin : cytokinin ratio

in the culture medium is the cause of uniform and early bearing.

Panama wilt it can be managed by agronical practices , disease management measures

If you find any difficulty in multiplication of “Yellakki” in bulk by tissue culture , I will assist

you to fulfil your desire.

In India – Major crops are – Banana , Sugarcane ,— Mericloning

Floriculture – Gerbera, Anthurium, Orchids,Lillium ,carnation etc --mericloning

Forestry – Eucalyptus, Teak, etc…

Thank you
Good Luck

1 Like
11

Dear Nileshbhai,

Namaskar, I am sureshkumar, visited your farm when I was in Gujarat Alongwith Harishbhai

Pastakia, Pastakia Agro, Navsari.

d.s.sureshkumar68@gmail.com
09947892496

12

You are right. It is the rate race one can say. Native bananas are way more delicious than G9 and Cavendish.

[quote=Murali]

Can any one throw some light as to why we have TC of only G9 and not of other banana plants. I think we have over 100 varieties of Bananas here and it also being native to India. Yet right from govt horticulture labs to private every one has only G9.
It looks like this G9 being propagated by all, its great great great grandfather came from Israel.

Is it lack of research ?? or something fishy here ???

13

  1. Can any banana species be propagated thru Tissue Culture ? Forget about disease etc…YES

  2. Similar to Banana , can any plants be propagated thru Tissue culture. If so why we dont have other plants, if not why so and only some are under TC??..YES

  3. What is the main criterion for the Tissue Culture Propagation ??

—>Plant tissue culture is not some rocket science. In simple words you need some media (MS is widely used) supplement with; gelling agent (agarose), sucrose, plant hormones auxin and citokinine. Cut a small portion of young shoot (stem) from sucker and put it into this media. It will grow in new sapling/plantlet. Sterilize the stem before culturing with various germicides to keep your plant pathogen free

14

Hi Kissan,

If the answer is YES to all, do we have any home kits here to experiment. If so can you guide us. For hobby we can do it at home. I could see a lot of such kits in western world.

Forget about sterilization etc. For home use or DIY, even if 10% survive, still it is worth experimenting and learning ourselves. I have seen hi tech lab photos, but they are for commercial production.

If any plant can be propagated then why mangos and other horticultural ones we have only grafting ??

Regards

Murali

15

Murali,

Yes, you can grow any plant from grass to Banyan tree from plant tissue culture (PTC). I am not aware if there is any kit available in India for plant tissue PTC, and even if there is any, it would be ridiculously expensive. For guiding, yes I can definitely help you in troubleshooting. But best would be to have some hand on practice and become familiar with important steps and their significance. I think you are from Banglore. So search for the people who are working on PTC at IIHR, IISc or other agri institute/university, I am sure they will be more than happy to demonstrate the technique and details of PTC.

Banana plants are not trees, but one of the largest ‘herbs’. In botanical sense, herb is a plant that does not have lignified tissues. Lignified tissues allow plants to make trunks and become trees. Bananas have a tightly ‘rolled’ series of leaf bases, forming a ‘pseudostem’, small outgrowths at the base of the pseudostem develop into new plants. For grafting plants should be woody such as trees and shrubs, therefore banana plant is not suitable for grafting.

Grafting is cheaper and has many advantages as root of resistant variety and stem of high yield variety so you get benefits of both. On other hand PTC is more tedious and lengthy process, it is suitable for endangered plants, GM plants where plants can’t be grown from seeds in next generation or seedless plants like banana. Otherwise it is not economically viable.

Hope it makes some sense.

16

Hi Kissan,

Thanks for your clarification. Yes that makes a lot clear.

Yet coming back to PTC of Banana variety, If I am willing to take risks regarding disease etc, can I approach TC labs to clone me a few thousands of banana of Yellaki, I think its called Musa Mysore, Correct me I am wrong.

Why the reason is because, at least if I plant these in large scale, at a time I can expect the output. Like the case in G9.

Regards

Murali

17

yes, TC is a mad race. in fact, no one can believe that we have grown oora bale in paschima ghatta getting more yield than TCG9 or any other variety, taste is better, keeping quality is better. the only problem the bale hannu does not appear glazy. but the internal hannu is very tasty.

there are manmy nati vatieties of bale in india which are grown almost naturally and giving better yields and qualities.
the only thing is all the market hype is not made for this.

18

There are many local varieties which would be tastier than G9. but here our discussions are about commercial viable varieties which has large market and export potential. Tissue culture is one of the tools used for fast multiplication in large numbers of selected plant material. The advantage of tissue culture over other system of propogation is immense and banana is one crop which is easily ameanable for such process

19

If so then why only G9 is popular, why not yellaki and others are multiplied ?

Regards

Murali

20

I have spoken to many TC labs doing G9 as to why they are not doing Elakki TC. They say people are ready to pay upwards of 20 Rs/plant but Elakki is not very amenable to TC. There is huge mortality in the process and even after they are transplanted to the field, the success is not very huge. TC labs are worried about the backlash from farmers and loss of reputation. Lot of TC labs are doing it on trial basis to improve the multiplication process

Siddramesh Nara