EFFECT OF DIFFERENT COLOUR SHADE NETS AND SUBSTRATES DURING ACCLIMATIZATION ON MICRO-PROPAGATED BANANA PLANTLETS (Musa spp.) IN DIFFERENT SEASONS

An experiment was carried out in greenhouse to study the effect of different colour shade nets and different substrates during hardening of Banana (Musa spp.) tissue culture plantlets in different seasons for the proper hardening of banana plantlets. The tissue culture banana plants from the laboratory were planted in primary hardening centre under different shade nets like black, blue green and white with 50% penetration of light. A different combination of substrates such as sawdust 25%, cocopeat 50%, biosamrudhi 25% and sugarcane bagasse. The study was conducted in summer, winter and monsoon seasons. The results showed media combination consisting of cocopeat 50%, biosamrudhi 25% and sawdust 25% with blue shade net having 50% light penetration capacity showed optimum growth parameters such as plant height, plant girth and chlorophyll content. It is concluded from the study that aforesaid combination can be used for optimum growth of banana plants in primary hardening centre.