Suitable bed setting for hardening of banana tissue culture plantlets (Musa Acuminata cv Berangan sp.) at pre-nursery stage

In order to achieve the demand of banana, there is a need in shortening the pre-nursery period of banana tissue culture plantlet. The objective of this study is to shorten the pre-nursery period of banana tissue culture plantlets by producing a suitable pre-nursery bed setting for hardening of banana tissue culuture plantlets (Musa Acuminata cv Berangan) at pre-nursery stage. The setting included two variables which are planting distance and media depth during pre-nursery. The planting distance (length x width) treatments included are i)6x6cm, ii)8x8cm, iii)10x10cm ad iv)12x12cm and the media depth treatments included are i)10cm, ii)15cm and iii)20cm. The results indicated that vegetative growth parameters (leaf area, shoot height and girth circumference) of treated plantlets with 6cmx6cm planting distance have the same growth rate as the control treament (10cmx10cm). However, the distinct advantages of 6cmx6cm planting distance is that the setting gives higher planting density which enables the farmers' mass propagation of banana plantlets. On the other hand, 20cm media depth, which is the control, recorded the highest growth rate compared to the treatments. Hence, pre-nursery bed setting of 6cmx6cm planting distance and 20cm media depth is effective in enhancing growth rate, hardening of plantlets and increasing planting density, thus, shortening the pre-nursery period.