Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 29 2022: The Head of Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding (GPB) of College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University (COA, CAU), Imphal has issued a corrigendum with reference to the news article titled 'CAU develops new banana variety' published on October 23, 2022 in TSE English edition on page 9 .
In a press note, the Head of Dept of GPB, COA, CAU, Imphal informed that the College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University (COA, CAU) has micropropagated and released G-9/ Grand Nain banana variety for commercialization.
These were micropropagated using tissue culture and virus indexed.
The banana plants were released during a simple function held at the administrative block of CAU by COA Dean Professor Indira Sarangthem, Professor RK Dilip of Dept of Horticulture and Professor L Nabachandra of Dept of Agronomy.
Addressing the function Indira Sarangthem said that the G-9/ Grand Nain variety of Banana plant was micropropagated by the Dept of Genetics & Plant Breeding (GPB) of CAU using tissue culture and virus indexing techniques from the explants (sucker) of the Banana plant (mother plant) grown in the Central Farm of the University.
The whole process of initiation to hardening of the plantlets took about eight months.
She also mentioned that the initiative was taken up by scientists Dr Ranand Sharma and Dr Taramla Raman under the supervision of Head of Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding, N.Brajendra.
Saying that one of the common problems being faced by banana cultivators is the infection by viruses such as mosaic virus, she added that the G-9/ Grand Nain, however, is free of virus as it was tissue cultured and virus indexing was performed.
This micropropagated banana plant will benefit the farmers engaging in Banana cultivation greatly, she said and added that G-9 is also a high yielding variety and a commercial crop.
CAU is planning to make the tissue cultured banana plant available to farmers by March or April next year, the Professor said.