Quality planting material is the key to successful cultivation of all crops. Sucker is the primary and major source of propagation material in banana. Continuity of the production process can be maintained only by balancing good bunch yield and optimum number of quality suckers. The research work on the initiation and the development of suckers indicated that its genesis could be in the cortex part of the mother corm. Both internal factors (ploidy levels, genomic constitution etc.) and external factors (planting seasons, depth, spacing etc.) affect the sucker production. Sucker production increases with decrease in ploidy levels and with increase in M. balbisiana genomic group in the genomic constitution of the particular clone. Intra-clonal variability in suckering habit of different banana clones is much clear. Physical methods of sucker activation techniques like goose necking, mattocking, decapitation, false decapitation are reported to enhance the sucker production. Influences of mattocking on translocation of nutrients from mother plant to daughter suckers at various physiological stages of the mother plant and under the different systems of planting have been explored by many scientists. Cultural methods (like Ascenso’s method, use of different organic manures, biofertilizers, fertilizers, micronutrients etc.) and hormonal methods (application of ethrel, GA3, Pachlobutrazol, BA and IAA etc.) were found to be effective. Newer techniques like split corm, split bud, minisetting, PIF etc. can also be useful in salvaging underdeveloped suckers.
Quality suckers, Factors, Ploidy levels, Genomic constitution, Intra-clonal variability, Sucker activation techniques, Mattocking