Comparison of the effectiveness of two vegetative propagation methods for banana trees from the study of the agronomic characteristics of a hybrid of plantain (Musa spp.)

Introduction. The objective of our study was to evaluate the agronomic performance of plantain hybrid plants (CRBP-39, Musa cv. AAAB) obtained through two vegetative propagation methods: in vitro culture, called the "CIV technique", and a newly developed technique of plants derived from stem bits, called the "PIF technique". The study, carried out in Cameroon, took place at a high altitude (1250 m) and covered one cropping cycle. The CRBP-39 hybrid was chosen because of its resistance to Black Leaf Streak Disease and its agronomic performance. Materials and methods. Vitroplants and plants obtained through the PIF technique developed at CARBAP (Cameroon) were planted separately in elementary plots of 16 plants. No chemical control was administered against Black Leaf Streak Disease. Observations were essentially made on agronomic characteristics. Results and discussion. For the mother crop, there was no significant difference between the plants obtained from one or the other vegetative propagation method concerning their pseudo-stem height and girth; the number of functional leaves at shooting; the duration of the production cycle; the bunch weight; the number of hands and fruits of the bunch; and the length and circumference of the fruit. For the ratoon crop, significant differences were observed concerning the pseudo-stem height and girth, and the number of emitted and functional leaves at harvest. These results globally indicate a strong similarity in vegetative and bunch characteristics of plants propagated with one or the other method. The PIF technique, which is used more and more by small-scale farmers because of its simplicity, rapidness and low cost of production, is a method of vegetative propagation that helps to produce plants similar to tissue cultured plants in terms of agronomic qualities.