American Journal of Food Technology1557-45711557-458XAcademic Journals Inc.10.3923/ajft.2014.340.349in vitro Culture of Banana Plantlets]]>BuahJ.N. 7201497In this study, the suitability of cassava starch for the in vitro culture of banana tissues was investigated. A combination of cassava starch and agar was used as a solidifying agent as against pure cassava starch and pure agar. Three types of media with respect to the inclusion of cassava starch were prepared as; media with 60 g cassava starch, 6 g agar and 2 g agar+40 g cassava starch. Explants were prepared by sterilizing them with 70% ethanol which was followed by 1% sodium hypochlorite+tween 20. They were then cultured at 26°C. The conditions in the culture room were 16 h photoperiod, 3000 lux light intensity and a relative humidity of 60%. Tissues cultured on medium with a combination of cassava starch and agar had the highest fresh weight values of 25 g and this was significantly different from those cultured on the other two media. Dry weight was also better (10 g) for plantlets cultured on a combination of cassava starch and agar, compared to those on agar alone which had dry weight value of 8 g. Medium with agar alone had a water potential of -0.4 MPa and that of medium with a combination of cassava and agar was -0.3 MPa. The growth of plantlets was better on medium with cassava starch and agar combination even though the differences in some of the parameters measured were not significant. This also reflected in the number of roots produced per plantlet and subsequently the percentage survival in the nursery. Cassava starch was thus found to be a suitable substitute for agar in the in vitro culture of banana.]]>Afrasiab, H. and R. Jafar,2011Oryza sativa L) varieties super basmati and IRRI-6.]]>43487501Amaka, M.O., M.O. Amaka, M. Ngadi, C. Ejebe, C. Nwankpa, N. Danbaba, S. Ndindeng and J. Manful,20132181186Anoop, B. and J.S. Chauhan,2011in vitro culture potato.]]>2161167AOAC.,199015th Edn., Vol. 2.Bhattacharya, P., S. Dey and B.C. Bhattacharyya,1994371523Buah, J.N., E. Danso, K.J. Taah, E.A. Abole, E.A. Bediako, J. Asiedu and R. Baidoo,2010in vitro multiplication of plantain (Musa sp.).]]>9343347Buah, J.N., J.W. Tachie-Menson, G. Addae and P. Asare,2011in vitro culture of plantains and bananas.]]>6685694Charles, A., Y. Chang, W. Ko, K. Sriroth and T. Huang,200456413418Czuchajowska, Z., D. Sievert and Y. Pomeranz,199168537542Debergh, P.C.,198359270276Nuwamanya, E., Y. Baguma, N. Emmambux, J.R.N. Taylor and P. Rubaihayo,20102111Gebre, E. and B.N. Sathyanarayana,2001in vitro shoot regeneration and microtuber production from nodal cultures of potato.]]>918Hilbe, J.M.,200761269273Kuria, P., P. Demo, A.B. Nyende and E.M. Kahangi,2008in vitro micro-propagation of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.).]]>7301307Kwoseh, C.K., M. Asomani-Darko and K. Adubofour,20128815Lupano, C.E. and S. Gonzalez,199947918923Mbanaso, E.N.A., J. Crouch, F.A. Onefeghara and M. Pillay,20012001Mbanaso, E.N.A.,2008744914494Maliro, M.F.A. and G. Lameck, 20043244247Mohammed, M.A.H., A.A. Alsadon and M.S. AL-Mohaidib,2009Solanum tuberosum micropropagation.]]>891999203Murashige, T. and F. Skoog,196215473497Naik, P.S. and D. Sarkar,2001in vitro culture.]]>44293296Nkere, C.K. and E.N.A. Mbanaso,2009In vitro culture of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz): Assessment of cassava starch from different varieties as gelling agent in culture medium.]]>4261266Daud, N., R.M. Taha, N.N.M. Noor and H. Alimon,2011in vitro culture of Celosia sp.]]>101834918355Novelo-Cen, L. and D. Betancur-Ancona,2005Phaseolus lunatus and Manihot esculenta starch blends.]]>57431441Onwueme, I.C.,1982Pages: 248Pages: 248Raghu, A.V., G. Martin, V. Priya, S.P. Geetha and I. Balachandran,2007Centella asiatica.]]>2592599 Ramesh, Y., M.P. Ramanujam and Y. Ramassamy,2014in vitro multiplication of banana (Musa paradisiaca L.) var. robusta.]]>4153157Gotea, R., M.A.S.B. Goharizzi, I. Gotea, M. Ziaee, M. Farsi, R.E. Sestras and K. Vahdati,2012in vitro establishment of walnut (J. regia L.) by using two alternative gelling agents first results.]]>69392394Shirani, S., F. Mahdavi and M. Maziah,2009Musa spp.) after in vitro multiplication with TDZ and BAP from excised shoot tips.]]>857555761Tang, A.C., Y. Kawamitsu, M. Kanechi and J.S. Boyer,200289861870Tukomane, T., P. Leerapongnun, S. Shobsngob and S. Varavinit,2007593345Umeh, B.U. and M.I. Uguru,2013in-vitro propagation of ginger.]]>827932798