In vitro eradication of banana bunchy top virus from natural infected grandnan banana by using chemotherapy

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of chemotherapy treatments using four different chemical substances (as antiviral) to eradicate the banana bunchy top virus from the infected banana plantlets grown in vitro. Therefore, in vitro cultured shoot tip explants of naturally infected mother Grandnan banana plants were treated by different concentrations of chemical substances which were added to the culture medium (MS) for four weeks. Ribavirin was used at 0, 20, 40 and 60 mg/l; Jasmonic acid was used at 0, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/l; Salicylic acid was added at 0, 17.3, 34.5 and 69 mg/l; Benzoic acid was used at 0, 18, 36 ad 72 mg/l. After chemotherapy treatment, the shoots were subcultured on chemicals free MS medium for another 8 weeks (subcultured each four weeks). Samples of leaves were taken for analysis by PCR before chemotherapy treatment and then after 8 weeks of culture on chemicals free MS medium. The results of PCR analysis proved that the use of Ribavirin at 40 mg/l and 1 mg/l of Jasmonic acid produced the highest virus-free rate of banana shoots 66.62% and 44.42% with survival percentage 93.20% and 100%, respectively. While, the use of Salicylic acid and Benzoic acid produced the lowest virus-free rate of banana plantlets 11.11% with 17.3 mg/l Salicylic acid and 33.31% with 18 mg/l Benzoic acid treatments, respectively.