PERBANDINGAN METODE PENGIRISAN DAN TANPA PENGIRISAN DALAM STERILISASI EKSPLAN BONGGOL PISANG KEPOK DAN CAVENDISH SECARA IN VITRO

Abstract

Kepok and Cavendish bananas are among the most popular varieties, leading to high cultivation demand to meet market needs. In vitro culture is a promising alternative as it can produce large quantities of uniform, disease-free seedlings in a short time. However, sterilization often uses hazardous chemicals, posing risks to the environment and laboratory workers. An alternative is the slicing method. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of slicing and non-slicing sterilization methods for Kepok and Cavendish banana corm explants. A t-test was used to compare two independent populations: explants sterilized by repeated slicing three times with 30% bleach (Bayclin®), and explants sterilized without slicing using 70% alcohol, 30% bleach, 20% bleach, and 0.2% HgCl₂. Each population had 10 replications, each containing 5 bottles per variety, totaling 200 culture bottles. Observed variables included contamination, browning, survival, and shoot number, recorded from 1 to 6 weeks after planting (WAP). Results showed the slicing method more effectively reduced contamination and increased survival rates for both banana varieties, while differences in browning and shoot number were not significant. These findings suggest slicing can be a safer, effective alternative to chemical-only sterilization in in vitro banana cultivation.