The Banana Research Division was established in 1955 and began with the investigation and collection of local banana germplasm by Science Technologists including Mr. Birong Huang. In all 30 major local varieties were identified and collected from Guangdong Province. From 1963, the banana research team was strengthened with the contributions by Mr. Fenglian Li, Mr. Xibing Zeng and Mr. Lanfen Wen in research work dedicated to investigation, preservation and application of banana variety resources. Some local varieties were applied for regional trial in 1970’s. Beginning 1980, research work on micro-propagation production for high yielding and good quality banana varieties commenced. The “National Fruit Tree Germplasm-Guangzhou Banana Garden” was established in 1989, and many commercially potential varieties were introduced successively from International Banana Germplasm Bank and Malaysia and other Asian countries. Currently, there are 300 introduced varieties which are used as materials in fields of resource application and new varieties breeding. From mid-late of 1990’s, the team worked successively on banana tissue culture, molecular evaluation and biotechnical breeding.
In 2008, Banana Research Centre and Banana in vitro Plantlet Breeding Centre were founded, which focused on banana basic research and product exploitation, respectively.
The study on banana tissue culture rapid propagation technique began in the 1980’s. The study was based on different banana genotypes and characteritics, problems of proliferation and rhizogenesis in differentiation buds, which were resolved by utilizing varieties such as banana AAA (Brazil, Williams, and Grand Naine), Gongjiao M .AA, Fenjiao and plantain M .ABB and AABB hybridized genotypes. A mature and stable technical system for banana (plantain) tissue culture rapid propagation and 2400 m 2 industry for banana in vitro plantlets production were also set up. The annual production of banana plantlets has achieved 10 million seedlings, passing the quality system authentication of ISO9000:2000. Banana in vitro plantlets production offers high quality seedlings for farmers and benefits healthy and sustainable development of banana production in China. The Plantlet Breeding Centre is capable of producing up to 20 million seedlings per year.
The main varieties produced are Guangdong banana No.2, Guangfen No.1, Dafeng No.1, Fusarium wilt disease-resistant No.5, Dongguan Plantain, Brazil, and Williams. The most popular varieties are Brazil and Guangfen No.1.
Generally, the procedures involved in producing tissue cultured banana:
Meristematic selection and Explant inoculation
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(3-4 weeks)
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Subculture
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(3-30 weeks, according to the number of seedlings)
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root culture
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(3-4 weeks)
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temporary plant
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(about 10 weeks)
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Sold or plant in farmland
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The time taken from meristematic selection to plantlets ready to be sold:
3-12 months, depending on the planting stage requested.
For further information please contact:
The Director
Institute of Fruit Tree Research
Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences (GDAAS)
80, Dafeng Street, Tianhe District
Guangzhou 510640, Guangdong Province, China.
email: yiganjun@vip.163.com