Field evaluation of in vitro derived mutants of different varieties of banana on reproductive and yield parameters

A field experiment was conducted on field evaluation of in vitro derived mutants of different varieties of banana during 2018-19 and 2019-20 at the Department of Fruit Science, College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot. The 138 in vitro derived banana mutants both physical and chemical mutagens treated plants along with a check were planted. The experiment was laid out in augmented block design with 6 blocks and 26 subplots each block having 23 in vitro mutant lines and three checks. The experiment was conducted to identify early flowering mutants, flowering to maturity and yield characters. The different parameters like Days taken to flowering, Days from flowering to maturity, Total leaf chlorophyll, bunch weight, length of bunch, number of hands per bunch were taken as reproductive and yield parameters. Among 138 in vitro derived mutants in plant crop, there was significant difference noted in days taken to flowering, total leaf chlorophyll, length of bunch. The lesser number of days taken to flowering was recorded in RAJ45Gy-14 (232 days), maximum total leaf chlorophyll was recorded in YB45Gy-09 (65.10), the maximum length of bunch recorded in YB45Gy-03 (69.48 cm). Maximum bunch weight in YB45Gy- 03 (11.96 kg).in ratoon crop, significant difference seen in days taken to flowering, flowering to maturity and number of hands per bunch. the lesser number of days taken to flowering was recorded in YB40Gy-03 (216 days), days from flowering to maturity was recorded in YB35Gy-11 (86 days). Maximum total leaf chlorophyll content was recorded in RAJ40Gy- 04 (62.90). Maximum bunch weight in RAJ45Gy- 04 (11.09 kg). Maximum number of hands per bunch was recorded in YB40Gy – 06 (9.00). Field evaluation of in vitro derived mutants reveals early flowering, flowering to maturity and yield characters among different mutants of banana.