Responsibility of PSB (Photosynthetic Bacteria) and Chitosan on the Growth of Banana Lase (Musa acuminata L.)

Abstract

Banana (Musa spp.) is a crucial tropical fruit crop, but its cultivation faces significant challenges related to seedling availability and reliance on chemical fertilizers. Tissue culture provides a solution for large-scale seedling production. However, post-acclimatization remains a critical stage due to plant sensitivity to environmental stress. Sustainable alternatives, such as photosynthetic bacteria (PSB) and chitosan, have been suggested to improve growth and reduce chemical input dependency; however, their combined effects on banana remain underexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of PSB and chitosan applications on the post-acclimatization growth of tissue-cultured Lase banana seedlings. A field experiment was conducted using a split-plot design, with PSB concentrations (10, 20, and 30 ml/L) as the main plots and chitosan concentrations (10, 15, and 20 ml/L) as subplots. Growth parameters were measured and analyzed using ANOVA at the 5% significance level, followed by DMRT for mean separation. The results revealed a significant interaction between PSB at 10 ml/L and chitosan at 10 ml/L, which produced the highest values for plant height and leaf number. This indicates that the synergistic application of PSB and chitosan enhances the early establishment of Lase banana seedlings after acclimatization. The findings contribute both practically and academically, demonstrating an effective strategy for reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers while improving seedling vigor and providing new insights into the integration of microbial inoculants and biopolymers in sustainable banana micropropagation.