In vitro </font></i><font size="3">response of banana plants cv. `Grande naine'</font></b><font size="3"> (<b><i>Musa</i></b> <b>AAA</b>) </font></font><font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>to water stress induced with polyethylene glycol </b>

Abstract

Bananas and plantains are grown in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. These plants required high humid conditions; therefore water deficit affects their growth and productivity. Through biotechnology, new drought tolerant genotypes could be obtained. These genotypes can be selected from in vitro culture by adding osmo-stressor agents to the media. The aim of this work was to determine the response of in vitro banana plants cv. `Grande naine' (Musa AAA) to water stress induced by polyethylene glycol. Morphological (height and number of shoots per explant), physiological (total chlorophyll and relative water chlorophyll contents) and biochemical (proline, malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide contents) traits of water stress were determined on stressed and unstressed plants. On stressed plants, a decrease in height and number of shoots per explant, and the increase in proline and malondialdehyde contents were observed. However, total chlorophyll, hydrogen peroxide and relative water contents were not affected. These findings showed that polyethylene glycol can be used as osmo-stress inducer for in vitro selection of drought tolerant banana plants.