Genomics and Applied Biology 2015, Vol. 6, No. 4, 1-6
2
into non- conventional growing areas. Drought has
rarely been addressed in the past, but is gaining
importance in the face of depleting natural
resources (Ravi et al., 2013). The results of
successful cultivation, especially of the water loving
Cavendish clones, in drought prone areas with
protected irrigation have provided the required
momentum to perform research on drought in
bananas (Ravi et al., 2013). In subtropical and semi-
arid banana cultivation zones have very limited
rainy days and also had uneven distribution of
rainfall, new crop management practices in terms of
varieties selected, soil improvement (in terms of
physical properties and nutrient enrichment), water
management, etc. are being adopted (Ravi et al.,
2013). The aim of this investigation was to screen
the twelve banana cultivars and hybrids through the
accumulation of proline content and PPO enzyme
activity during 50 per cent depletion of ASM at 5
th
and 7
th
MAP (Table 1).
Table 1 General observations on germplasm performance under water deficit conditions. (Ravi et al., 2013, Anon, 2007, 2006; Uma
and Sathiamoorthy, 2002; Uma et al., 2002)
Genomic group Sub group / status Genotypes
(verities / types)
Reaction to water deficit
AA
Wild
M. acuminata
ssp Burmannica
M. acuminata
ssp burmannicoides
M. acuminata
ssp malaccensis
M. acuminata
ssp zebrine
Highly susceptible
Highly susceptible
Highly susceptible
Highly susceptible
BB
Wild
Athiakol,
Elavazhai, Attikol
Bhimkol,
M.balbisiana
type Andaman
Susceptible
Less Tolerant
Moderately Tolerant
Tolerant
AAA
Ney Poovan
Unique
Cavendish
Ney Poovan and Nattu Poovan
Thellachakkarakeli
Grand Naine, Robusta, Dwarf Cavendish, Williams
Tolerant
Moderately tolerant
Susceptible
AAB
Mysore
Poovan
Moderately tolerant
ABB
Pisang Awak
Monthan
Karpuravalli and Udhayam
Pidi Monthan and Ash Monthan
Tolerant
Moderately Tolerant
1 Materials and Methods
Field experiments were conducted at the National
Research Centre for banana, Thiruchirapalli, during
the growing season of 2011-2013 in a split plot design
with three replications. Two levels of irrigation: 80 per
cent ASM with soil pressure maintained from -0.69 to
-6.00 bar and second level of irrigation at 50 per cent
ASM with the soil pressure maintained in -14.00 bar
and twelve ratoon banana cultivars and hybrids
namely: S
1
: Karpuravalli (ABB), S
2
: Karpuravalli x
Pisang Jajee, S
3
: Saba (ABB), S
4
: Sanna Chenkathali
(AA), S
5
: Poovan (AAB), S
6
: Ney poovan (AB), S
7
:
Anaikomban (AA), S
8
: Matti x Cultivar Rose, S
9
:
Matti (AA), S
10
: Pisang Jajee x Matti, S
11
: Matti x
Anaikomban and S
12
: Anaikomban x Pisang Jajee
were laid out in the main plots and sub plots
respectively. The soil pressure was calculated by using
the soil moisture release curve (Figure 1) and the soil
moisture was measured by using the pressure plate
membrane apparatus instrument (Table 2). The water
deficit stress was imposed at 5
th
and 7
th
MAP and the
proline and PPO enzyme activity were recorded
during the stress period.
Figure 1 Pressure plate apparatus soil moisture release curve
