Effects of Mercuric chloride and Ethanol for surface sterilization under in vitro plant growth in banana (Musa paradisiaca L.) variety “Udhayam”

Present investigation “Effects of Mercuric chloride and Ethanol for surface sterilization under in vitro plant growth in banana (Musa paradisiaca L.) variety “Udhayam” was carried out at the Tissue Culture Laboratory Department of Horticulture, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology, Meerut during the year 2018-2019. Effect of two different surface sterilization agents i.e. mercuric chloride and ethanol were tested on the contamination-free establishment of banana cv. Udhayam under in vitro conditions. All the sterilization agents performed better results when used individually for different time intervals. Minimum contamination percentage of explants after 10 days (32.24%) was noted under HgCl2 0.1 per cent treating for a period of 8 min. A critical observation was recorded as the maximum survival percentage of explants after 25 days (67.73%) was noted under the treatment of HgCl2 0.1 per cent for a period of 8 min. Minimum contamination percentage of explants after 10 days (28.52%) was noted under ethanol 70 per cent treating for a period of 5 min. A critical observation was recorded as the maximum survival percentage of explants after 25 days (70.82%) was noted under the treatment of ethanol 70 per cent for a period of 5 min. The combination of 0.1 per cent HgCl2 with 70 per cent ethanol was also found effective for sterilization of banana explants. Best results with lower contamination 0.1 per cent with HgCl2 for a period of 4 min. (26.58%). Where as higher explant survival per cent (73.42%) was observed HgCl2 0.1 per cent with ethanol 70 per cent for a period of 4 min. The present study concludes that the use of 0.1 per cent mercuric chloride and 70 per cent ethanol individually for different time intervals was found to be best to generate contamination-free plants in banana cv. Udhayam.