India is one of the major banana exporting countries. Banana crop is an important source of income and employment in South and Central India.

1
Introduction

• India is one of the major banana exporting
  countries. Banana crop is an important source of
  income and employment in South and Central India.
• Market sale and Export volume are directly
  responsible for economic and food security of
  banana cultivators. Secondary industries like
  banana processing and tissue culture plant
  production are also affected by these changes.
• Seedling hardening is the physiological
  adaptation of plant to changes in climate or
  environment.

2
Hardening of Plantlets in Culture Vessels

• Tissue cultured banana plantlets are transferred
  from laboratory to Green house and then to out
  door for hardening.
• Tissue cultured banana plantlets have well
  differentiated shoots and roots and receive
  nutrients from artificial growth medium.
• The caps of tissue culture seedling bottles are
  opened for few days before shifting to green
  houses to help the seedlings for in vitro
  acclimatization.

3
Hardening of Banana seedlings
Tissue cultured banana seedlings before hardening
4
Preparing Vessels for Transplanting

• After removing banana plantlets from the
  containers, the gel like agar medium is gently
  washed from the roots.
• Pre-hardened, tissue cultured plantlets with well
  developed roots becomes ready for planting into
  potting media in a greenhouse.
• Pre-hardened plants should be quickly prepared
  and transferred for the greenhouse nursery under
  partial shade.

5
Plant Containers and Potting Media

• Plastic pots or polyethylene bags can be used as
  nursery containers. Poly-bags are preferred for
  their light weight.
• Potting mixture with 2 parts growing media
  mixture, 1 part Perlite, and 3 parts vermiculite
  sand is preferred for growing banana plantlets in
  greenhouse.
• Slow-release fertilizers or liquid fertilizers
  are added to supply nutrient to plantlets.
  Multiple applications of liquid fertilizers are
  required.

6
Hardening of Banana seedlings
Hardening of banana seedlings under controlled
conditions
7
Transfer and Establishment of Plants

• Banana plants are allowed to acclimatize in
  greenhouse for 2 months with plant height up to
  20 cm, before they get ready to transplant in the
  field.
• Young plants typically produces a new leaf
  approximately every five days during their early
  development.
• Gestation and stabilization periods of seedlings
  depends on nutrient status of the soil and type
  of cultivar and it ranges from 9 to10 month after
  transplanting.

8
Hardening of Banana seedlings
Hardening of Banana plants under natural
conditions