Optimization of antioxidants application in tissue culture of Berangan (Musa paradisiaca) banana for browning inhibition

Abstract

Berangan Banana (Musa paradisiaca) was known to be one of the most commonly grown fruit crop in Malaysia. Through in-vitro culture technique, the mass propagation of this cultivar has been a serious problem of high mortality due to browning of explants. The aim of this research was to optimize both natural and synthetic antioxidant on culture medium of Musa paradisaca explants. In this research project, experiments was conducted using Musa sp as explants and two types of antioxidant were applied into the culture medium to study the effect of both synthetic and natural antioxidant application for browning inhibition. Other factors were also involved in this study for instance, size of explants and condition of dehandling method in order to enhance the interaction between factors with the response of color intensity for browning inhibition in culture medium of Musa paradisiaca explants. The research was done by using Central Composite Design (CCD) under Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The experimental result from this research has revealed that Musa paradisiaca explants in culture medium response at darkest color intensity when the explants were excised on air at lower concentrations of synthetic antioxidant. However, the lightest color intensity was reported when explants excised under water at higher concentrations of synthetic antioxidant. Therefore, the browning crisis in most plant tissue culture especially in Berangan Banana (Musa pradisiaca) can be prevented or controlled so that mass propagation of Berangan Banana into callus, young banana plantlets and soon after into mature banana plant was possible.