FIELD PERFORMANCE OF CONVENTIONAL VS IN-VITRO PROPAGULES OF PLANTAIN (MUSA SPP, AAB GROUP)

In vitro-propagated plants of plantain (Musa spp,, AAB group) did not manifest consistently superior horticultural performance compared to c onventional propagules. Tissue culture plants grew vigorously and tall er than sucker-propagated plants, but higher yield was not obtained, p robably because of severe disease and suboptimal husbandry input, Phen otypic variation was higher in tissue culture plants, although this in crease was not always statistically significant, There were no other d etrimental effects of in vitro propagation on field performance. Botan ical seed set rates for the two types of propagules were similar. The advantages of tissue-culture-derived plants as improved planting mater ial would be most relevant for establishing field nurseries for furthe r clean, conventional propagation of newly bred or selected genotypes.