Abstract:
Banana is an important food and cash crop in Kenya. However,
its cultivation is hindered by scarcity of seedlings, pests and
diseases, among other factors. Naturally regenerated seedlings
which most farmers rely on are likely to carry pests and
diseases. On the other hand adoption of tissue culture has been
hindered by high capital and skill requirements. This study is
investigating an alternative cost effective propagation method.
Macropropagation is an inexpensive technology that can
produce large quantities of high quality seedlings. However,
this technology has not been evaluated to demonstrate its
effectiveness to produce healthy seedlings with regard to local
genotypes, pests and pathogen populations in Kenya. This is
the focus of this study.
