Banana improvement via meristem culture In plant micropropagation programs for banana, what key benefits does meristem (shoot tip) culture provide under aseptic in vitro conditions?

Introduction / Context:
Meristem culture (also called shoot tip culture) is widely used for banana improvement because it accelerates clonal multiplication and helps eradicate systemic pathogens, including viruses such as Banana bunchy top virus. The tiny dome of meristematic tissue is often virus-free or has very low virus titer, enabling recovery of clean planting stock.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Tissue is a small shoot tip or apical dome with a few leaf primordia.
• Cultured on sterile, nutrient-rich medium under controlled light and temperature.
• Goal: produce many pathogen-free plantlets quickly.

Concept / Approach:
Meristem-tip culture exploits the fact that active meristematic cells divide rapidly and are commonly ahead of systemic virus movement. When combined with thermotherapy or chemotherapy, this significantly reduces or eliminates virus. Micropropagation further allows exponential multiplication in limited space.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Virus indexing (ELISA/RT-PCR) confirms pathogen-free status. Multiplication rates per cycle demonstrate the speed advantage over conventional suckers.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Rapid multiplication alone omits the sanitation benefit.
• Virus elimination alone ignores the scalability advantage.
• “Slow growth” contradicts the hallmark of micropropagation.

Common Pitfalls:
Using too large an explant may carry virus; inadequate asepsis reduces success. Balancing cytokinin/auxin is critical for healthy shoot proliferation.

Final Answer:
Both (a) and (b)