Preservation of a GI-tagged banana cultivar: Insights from tissue culture and DNA barcoding of Nanjangud Rasabale

Nanjanagudu Rasabale (NRB) is a Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged banana cultivar from Karnataka, known for its unique aroma and taste. The cultivar faced a serious threat of extinction due to a major outbreak of Panama disease. This study aimed to conserve and verify the genetic identity of NRB using tissue culture and DNA barcoding techniques. Shoot tip culture was used to produce disease-free saplings, and DNA barcoding was performed using the ITS2 region as a marker. The tissue culture protocol showed a high rate of micropropagation, enabling large-scale production of healthy plantlets suitable for field planting. However, DNA barcoding alone was not sufficient to distinguish NRB from closely related cultivars, highlighting the need for morpho-molecular analysis and whole genome sequencing for accurate identification. To support conservation, the disease-free saplings were distributed to farmers across different districts of Karnataka, and their contact information has been recorded for follow-up.