Abstract

The effect of NaCl and PEG was assessed on plant micro-propagation rate in banana (Musa spp.) cv., Basrai. Well micro-propagated plantlets were cultured on four different stresses of NaCl and PEG-4000 including control level: MS_2b (MS₀ + 3.0 mg l^-1 BAP), MS_2c (MS₀ + 100 mol m^-3 NaCl), MS_2d (MS₀ + 5% PEG) and MS_2e (MS₀ + 100 mol m^-3 NaCl + 5 % PEG) for 6-weeks. Efficiency of plant micro-propagation was reduced significantly among the stressed cultures. Similarly, photosynthetic pigments like chl a was decreased non-significantly but chl b, chl abwere decreased significantly. Total carotenoids were increased in the saline as well as PEG stressed cultures. Cell size of epidermis and aerenchyma was increased (p < 0.05), while parenchyma decreased. Proline and glycinebetain contents were increased (p < 0.05) in each stressed culture but were high in MS₂ than in MS₃ and MS₄ cultures. Meanwhile, proteins, sugars, phenolics and nitrates were observed to be in the reversed (p < 0.05) phenomena. In conclusion, NaCl treatment was observed to be most toxic than the PEG or PEG with NaCl on the banana micro-propagation.

Key words: Musa spp., micro-propagation, NaCl (sodium chloride), PEG (polyethylene glycol), chlorophyll contents, proline, reducing sugars.