Published Paper Details:

The field evaluation for detection and characterization of off-types in commercially micropropagated banana cv. Grand Naine was undertaken in this study to assess the magnitude of the variations in the farmer fields and to analyze the consequence of such variations. Around 15 private tissue culture units are supplying the planting material to the farmers through micropropagation. Field survey was taken up to identify and characterize more significant variants in order to understand the magnitude of the problem. Fields growing in-vitro Grand Naine banana plants in Hesaraghatta, Anekal, Kanakapura, Kadur were surveyed at the time of flowering and fruiting. Candidate plants showing distinct somaclonal variations were identified and recorded in data sheets along with the photographs. Different somaclonal off-types were identified and compiled depending on the morphological and agronomical characters and also by comparing with the true to type normal plant in the field. Our field study findings delineated that the morphological studies of commercially propagated in vitro banana cv. Grand Naine (AAA) in the field has shown the enormity of the off-types generated through micropropagation. Through field study 25 types of variants were identified and molecular markers for such variants have been tried for Dwarf variants and bunch variants which were the most common types of off-types causing heavy loss to the farmers as detected by present study. Furthermore, this field study has revealed the higher frequency of off-types in various fields which are unacceptable and needs to be addressed by proper methods.