Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, has signed a MoU with Hi-Fi Biotech India Pvt Ltd, Salem, for the mass multiplication of banana hybrids.
A. S. Krishnamoorthy, Registrar, TNAU, and P Murugesa Boopathi, Managing Director, Hi-Fi Biotech, inked the agreement on behalf of the respective organisations.
The farm varsity has been pursuing banana improvement programmes since 1971. The intensive research has resulted in the release of banana hybrid CO2, which is akin to Ney Poovan (a commercial variety) and is tolerant to nematodes.
Large-scale multiplication of tissue culture plantlets of CO2 is essential for the supply of planting material to farmers in the banana growing districts of Erode, Trichy, Theni and Coimbatore, said the varsity researchers.