ICAR-NRCB makes breakthrough in banana tissue culture, new bioreactor technology boosts planting material production

TIRUCHIRAPPALL(Tamil Nadu) [India], August 30 (ANI): ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana have developed an innovative bioreactor-based technology that could transform the way banana planting materials are produced.

The newly developed approach utilises an embryogenic cell suspension (ECS) combined with a specially designed temporary immersion bioreactor (TIB), the world’s first bioreactor system for developing somatic embryos.

This method enables millions of embryogenic cells from just a few drops of culture to regenerate into millions of healthy banana plants, said ICAR-NRCB.

The system has already demonstrated remarkable efficiency. From a small amount of embryogenic cells, thousands of uniform and disease-free banana plants were produced across popular cultivars, including Grand Naine, Rasthali, Poovan, Nendran, Ney Poovan, and Red Banana.

Importantly, advanced testing confirmed that the plants retained their genetic stability, exhibiting no differences in growth or yield compared to their parent plants.

By making the large-scale production of high-quality planting material cost-effective, this technology is expected to significantly expand the use of tissue-cultured plants in banana farming. Greater adoption could raise yields and strengthen India’s position as a global leader in banana production.

India is the world’s largest producer of bananas, harvesting about 38 million metric tonnes annually. Tissue culture planting material plays a crucial role in ensuring healthy, uniform crops, yet it currently covers only 20-30% of the total banana cultivation area.

Expanding this share through advanced technologies is seen as a key step to boosting productivity and meeting the growing demand for food production.

Beyond bananas, the bioreactor system opens avenues for mass propagation of other important crops, ornamentals, and forest species. The team is working toward scaling up the technology for commercial use, including larger-capacity bioreactors and long-term storage options such as cryopreservation and synthetic seeds.

This innovation positions India at the forefront of sustainable agricultural solutions, offering a timely response to the rising global demand for food and the need for resilient farming systems, said ICAR-NRCB. (ANI)