Abstract
The effects of storage duration (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 days), sterilization with sodium hypochlorite (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20%), and weaning media on seedling characteristics and dry matter content in Musa balbisiana seedlings were studied. The experiment was factorial in a completely randomized design with five replicates. The result indicates that increase in NaOCl concentration and number of days in storage significantly (P=0.5) increased the period of seedling emergence. Also, soaking in NaOCl for 20 min had significant effect on average seedling emergence at 15 and 20% concentrations, compared to 10 min soaking at the same concentrations. The combined effects of storage duration and sterilization resulted in a decrease in the duration of seedling emergence. Seeds previously sterilized with either water or NaOCl had no significant effect on seedling growth, leaf and corm dry weight, but affected almost all the dry matter traits. A mixture of poultry manure, top soil, and river sand as weaning media gave better seedling growth and increased dry matter characteristics. We conclude that M. balbisiana seeds require after-ripening treatment to enhance germination, sterilizing seeds with 5% NaOCl for 10 min and air-drying under ambient condition for 2–6 days were found most appropriate, and a mixture of poultry manure, top soil, and river sand is recommended as weaning medium for growth and dry matter composition in M. balbisiana seeds.
Highlights
Bananas and plantains (Musa spp.) are giant perennial herbs that grow in the humid agroecological zones of the tropics where they are important staples and contribute significantly to the incomes of the rural dwellers that grow them in compound or home gardens [1]
There was no significant difference between seeds sterilized with 15 and 20% Nigerian commercial product of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), except in day 4 where seeds with 15% NaOCl sterilization took longer days (36.2 days) to emerge compared to 24.2 days in 20% NaOCl (Table 2)
Significant differences were observed between 20 and 10% concentration in all of the treatments. Increase in both NaOCl concentration used in seed sterilization and number of days in storage resulted in an increase in the number of days to seedling emergence
Summary
Bananas and plantains (Musa spp.) are giant perennial herbs that grow in the humid agroecological zones of the tropics where they are important staples and contribute significantly to the incomes of the rural dwellers that grow them in compound or home gardens [1]. The wild progenitors (M. acuminata and M. balbisiana) of the edible bananas produce seeds, while most of the edible clones are seedless with a few exception such as “Pisang awak” subgroup ABB [3]. A major constraint to Musa breeding is the scarcity of healthy planting materials, due to low seed-set and viability [4]. Intractable fertilization barriers such as moderate to high levels of female sterility and triploidy make genetic improvements of parthenocarpic Musa clones slow and technically difficult [5]. Hybrid plant production in the most common triploid clones is further complicated by low seedset and germination caused by endosperm failure [4].
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