Multiplication of Banana Vivo Plants by the PIF Method According to the Size of Bayonet Suckers

Banana plays an important role in food security. The lack of quality planting material is one of the main causes limiting the intensification of banana cultivation in Benin. In order to contribute to the improvement of plantain banana production through the use of healthy, homogeneous and vigorous banana vivo plants, this study was initiated to evaluate the influence of the size of plantain banana bayonet sucker bulbs on the initiation of banana vivo plants produced by the technique of plants derived from stem fragments (PIF). Thus, this study was conducted at the research station based in Niaouli, Municipality of Allada. In total, three (3) different sizes of bulbs (small, medium and large) of bayonet suckers of the yellow-pulp Aloga plantain banana variety were used for the production of vivo plants following the different stages of the PIF technique. The data collected during the experiment relate to the weight of bulbs; diameter of bulbs; sowing date before sowing of bayonet suckers and during weaning-on-weaning dates, the number of rank 1 suckers emitted per bulb, the number of rank 1 suckers reactivated; the number of rank 1 suckers weaned; the number of rank 2 suckers produced; the length and width of the median leaf; the number of leaves per plant and the height of plants. These data were entered and processed with Excel spreadsheet and Statistical Analysis System software version 9.2 (SAS v. 9.2) was then used for statistical analyses. The results obtained show that there is a positive and significant correlation (r = 0.26; p = 0.04) between the size of bayonet suckers and the number of vivo plants emitted. Also, the weaning time influences the number of vivo plants emitted. Thus, a high number of vivo plants of the yellow-pulp Aloga variety is obtained with the use of large bulbs. This study opens a perspective to increase productivity in quality plantain banana vivo plants.