Abstract:
Mycorrhization of tissue cultured bananas is known to improve their growth and
establishment under field conditions. Studies were carried out to evaluate the effects of
inoculating tissue cultured Giant Cavendish banana with Kenyan isolates and Glomus
etunicatum. Performance of inoculated plants in conventional nursery medium and
sterile sand was also evaluated. A crude inoculum comprising of about 400 spores in 20
g soil was put into each tray cell during the weaning phase of tissue cultured banana
plantlets. The content of each cell was emptied into a polythene sleeve containing 800 g
of the respective medium eight weeks after inoculation. The experiment was laid out in
Split-plot Design in the screenhouse. Plant growth parameters including height, number
of leaves, leaf length and width were measured on a weekly basis for four months. Four
destructive samples were taken at monthly intervals beginning at eight weeks after
inoculation. Shoot and root fresh and dry weights, leaf surface area, number of spores
per 100 g of medium and plant tissue nutrient analysis was assessed at each sampling
stage. Results showed that indigenous isolates enhanced growth and nutrient uptake
more uniformly in both media. Glomus etunicatum enhanced growth and nutrient uptake
better than the indigenous isolates for plants established in conventional nursery
medium. However, the isolate was less effective in sterile sand medium than indigenous
isolates. Root colonisation had a direct impact on uptake of the three primary elements
(N, P, and K) analysed. It is therefore evident that Glomus etunicatum is more
preferable for inoculating tissue cultured bananas in conventional medium whereas the
indigenous isolates can perform satisfactorily in both media.
