The Interactive Effects of Culture Vessels and Paclobutrazol on in Vitro Rooting and Acclimatization of ‘Grand Nain’ Banana: A Potential Study for Commercial Propagation

Abstract

Musa spp. is an essential global food crop, yet its large-scale production is often hindered by the physiological stress that occurs during the transition from in vitro to ex vitro conditions. We sought to overcome this critical bottleneck by developing an integrated, cost-effective micropropagation protocol. The effects of paclobutrazol (PBZ) concentrations [0.0 (control), 0.5, and 1.0 mg·L –1 ] and various culture vessel types were evaluated regarding in vitro root development and subsequent greenhouse acclimatization of ‘Grand Nain’ bananas. Our results demonstrate that the use of round Magenta vessels without PBZ (0.0 mg·L –1 ) provided the optimal environment. This treatment enhanced transplant quality significantly, including height (18.6 cm), stem diameter (5.2 mm), and leaf number (n = 6.4), while achieving a superior photosynthetic efficiency (variable fluorescence/maximum fluorescence = 0.782) and a 100% survival rate. The novelty of this research lies in the combined analysis of vessel-induced microenvironmental factors and PBZ-mediated growth regulation, an interaction previously undocumented for this cultivar. This protocol offers a reliable and standardized method for the mass production of high-quality banana transplants suitable for both local cultivation and international export.