Effect of growing conditions and bioagents on hardening of tissue culture banana (Musa spp.)

The experiment entitled “Effect of growing conditions and bioagents on hardening of tissue culture banana (Musa spp.)” was carried out at the Dr. Y.S.R.H.U-Horticultural Research Station, Kovvur, Andhra Pradesh during the year 2023- 24. The experiment was laid out in a factorial randomized block design (FRBD) with two replications conducted in two periods January and April consists of fifteen treatment combinations in cv. Tella Chakkerakeli having two factors recorded i.e., growing conditions at 3 levels (double shade net, tunnel covered with transparent polythene sheet, in more than 6 months aged banana garden) and 5 levels of potting media enriched with bioagents (Control-red earth + FYM + cocopeat 2:1:1, AMF + Pseudomonas fluorescens, PSB + Pseudomonas fluorescens, AMF + Trichoderma sp., PSB + Trichoderma sp.) observations are recorded after 15 days of primary hardening. Both growing conditions and bioagents had significant impact on hardening of tissue culture banana. The treatment combination tunnel covered with transparent polythene sheet + AMF + Trichoderma sp. recorded maximum survival percent (98.95 and 88.90%), mortality percent (1.06 and 11.1%), no. of days taken for first leaf emergence (2.95 and 3), plant height (7.70 and 7.45 cm), girth (6.05 and 4.8 mm) and number of leaves per plant (2.4 and 2.6) compared to other treatment combinations.