ORIGINAL PAPER Growth stimulation effects of smoke-water and vermicompost leachate on greenhouse grown-tissue-cultured ‘Williams’ bananas Adeyemi O. Aremu • Manoj G. Kulkarni • Michael W. Bairu • Jeffrey F. Finnie • Johannes Van Staden Received: 3 August 2011 / Accepted: 1 November 2011 / Published online: 18 November 2011 Ó Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011 Abstract A common problem often experienced by both small and large scale banana farmers is the reduction in quality and yield of bananas due to soil moisture deficits and declining soil fertility. To overcome this, mechanisms of improving yield without compromising environmental integrity or public health are being embraced. Globally, researchers have continued to evaluate the competence of environmental-friendly organic fertilizers and smoke solutions to improve the growth, yield and quality of var- ious crops. In the present study, the effect of smoke-water (1:1,000; 1:500 and 1:250 dilutions) and vermicompost leachate (1:20; 1:10 and 1:5 dilutions) treatments on the growth of greenhouse grown bananas was evaluated. Soil drenching (smoke-water and vermicompost leachate) and foliar application (smoke-water) were tested on 1-month- old tissue-cultured banana seedlings under greenhouse conditions. After 3 months, growth parameters such as number and length of roots and shoots; number of leaves and leaf area as well as their fresh and dry weights were analyzed. Soil drenching with smoke-water significantly increased the root length (1:1,000 and 1:500 dilutions) as well as fresh and dry weight (1:1,000; 1:500 and 1:250 dilutions) when compared to foliar application. Vermi- compost leachate (1:10 and 1:5 dilutions) significantly enhanced the shoot length, root length, leaf area and dry weights. Vermicompost leachate (1:20; 1:10 and 1:5 dilu- tions) also significantly increased the number of off-shoots. The positive effect on rooting is beneficial for acclimati- zation and establishment of tissue-cultured banana plantlets in nurseries and subsequent transfer to the field. Moreover, the high cost of inorganic fertilizers as well as environ- mental safety concerns makes the use of smoke-water and vermicompost leachate potential alternatives to improving the growth and cultivation of bananas. Keywords Food security Á Micropropagation Á Musa spp. Á Organic fertilizers Á Phytonutrient Á Smoke solutions Introduction Musa spp. (bananas and plantains) are among the world’s major food crops and an important source of carbohydrate for millions of people in tropical and subtropical countries (Hallam 1995). Banana production ranks fifth behind cereals and has potential, along with other major crops to feed the world’s increasing population (Jain 2004). Increasing populations, especially in developing countries, will require increased food production (Welch and Graham 1999) and therefore efforts to increase production of essential crops such as banana is pertinent. In addition, the reduction in quality and yield of bananas often due to soil moisture deficits and declining soil fertility are of paramount concern (Kahangi 2010). In view of these challenges, bananas remain one of the highly prioritized research crops. Plant biotechnological techniques such as micropropa- gation is a viable means of increasing the sustainability and profitability of food production. It is a valuable aid in the multiplication of many plant species (Caponetti et al. 2005). In banana, it has played a significant role for the mass propagation of clonal material, conservation and A. O. Aremu Á M. G. Kulkarni Á M. W. Bairu Á J. F. Finnie Á J. Van Staden (&) Research Centre for Plant Growth and Development, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg, Private Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa e-mail: rcpgd@ukzn.ac.za 123 Plant Growth Regul (2012) 66:111–118 DOI 10.1007/s10725-011-9634-6