This work aims to evaluate the effect of NaCl and to make selections of banana cv. Nanicão (AAA) in vitro. Buds were grown on MS medium with 2.5 mg L-1 BAP and supplemented with different NaCl concentrations (0; 20; 40; 60; 80; 100 and 120 mM), for 60 days (Phase I). Survivor buds were transferred to salt-free media and grown for 30 days (Phase II). Afterwards they were submitted to MS media containing 80 or 100 mM NaCl, during 90 days (Phase III). One hundred buds were selected from the last phase and then, placed on NaCl-free medium supplemented with 0.5 mg L-1 NAA and 1.0 mg L-1 BAP for rooting. All buds died when submitted to 120 mM NaCl. Plant regeneration was highly inhibited by all NaCl concentrations. On the other hand, concentrations from 20 to 80 mM NaCl increased bud number and length. Buds were selected from treatments with 80 and 100 mM NaCl, and 80 plants were regenerated in media without NaCl. Rooting was not affected by saline pre-treatment.
Musa sp.; somaclonal variation; salinity