Survey, Collection and Characterization of Elite (Heavy Bunch) Somaclonal Variants from Tissue Cultured ‘Grand Naine’ Banana (Musa spp. AAA) in Farmers’ Fields Around Bangalore

The present study was carried out during the period 2006-07 to characterize the elite (heavy bunch) somaclonal variants of tissue cultured ‘Grand Naine’ banana from the farmers’ fields around Bangalore by visual screening. A total of eleven elite variants were collected and compared with original ‘Grand Naine’ (control) plants. Of all the elite somaclonal variants collected and evaluated, the variant GNV-04 was ound very promising. It had significantly showed higher bunch weight (59.75 kg), bunch length (2.00m), number of hands per bunch (21.01) and number of fingers per hand (20.01). The quality parameters such as TSS, reducing and total sugars were significantly higher, with moderate titratable acidity. The organoleptic evaluation tests significantly favoured the control to a certain extent, but taste and texture were better with the variant GNV-04 compared to control. To confirm the variants at DNA level, RAPD analysis was conducted to identify the difference in the banding patterns. Forty three primers were used for the analysis of which OPF-09 differentiated the variants and the normal Grand Naine bananas. A band size of 320 bp was produced in all the normal samples but was absent in the variants tested. In the present study RAPD markers were proved to be effective and precise to confirm the variants identified using molecular characters. Of the eleven superior variants analysed, variants GNV-04, GNV-08 and GNV-10 showed positive phenotypic characters which could be used in developmental programmes of Grand Naine banana.