Bananas.org - View Single Post - Saba Emergency Surgery Possibly needed, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

jpfloors · 05-13-2008, 08:07 PM

Okay, I got a Saba corm about three months ago. Between a month or two ago it put out half of a leaf (The other half had been cut when the it was topped). Since then it's done nothing and everything in view has rotted. Today I decided to do some inspecting and pulled off everything dead, and also uprooted it to see what was going on in the soil. Well I cannot tell whether there's been any root activity (though there's a LOT of roots, but nothing white that I could find). Upon pulling everything off, I think I found the only green part. I believe it is the meristem (Pictures will come later this week by the end of the weekend). I'm really not sure. It kind of looks like a very young rose bud. I've been getting the things I need in order to try tissue culturing bananas, but I truely would rather not do it on one that is my only plant of any variety, nor am I ready time wise either. Questions now:

1) Does anyone think that this will come back to life? I'm going to inspect it everyday. If I MUST do emergency surgery and remove the meristem for TCing, I'll MAKE the time to do it one evening (hopefully I could wait until the weekend).

2) If I do remove the meristem without damaging the bottom of the corm, would it still pup off? I did a quick inspection for eyes, but couldn't get through the vast roots to see if there were any. I didn't have time to completely wash away all of the dirt to really get a good inspection then have to replant.

3) OR Should I leave it completely alone and see what happens?

Thanks for everyones input and I'll definately have pictures by the weekend. I may even uproot it again and do a good washing to see what is going on underneath the ground.

05-13-2008, 08:07 PM	#1 (permalink)
jpfloors Banned jpfloors's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 662 BananaBucks : 103,257 Feedback: 12 / 100% Said "Thanks" 136 Times Was Thanked 118 Times in 76 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 54 Times	Saba Emergency Surgery Possibly needed, WHAT SHOULD I DO? Okay, I got a Saba corm about three months ago. Between a month or two ago it put out half of a leaf (The other half had been cut when the it was topped). Since then it's done nothing and everything in view has rotted. Today I decided to do some inspecting and pulled off everything dead, and also uprooted it to see what was going on in the soil. Well I cannot tell whether there's been any root activity (though there's a LOT of roots, but nothing white that I could find). Upon pulling everything off, I think I found the only green part. I believe it is the meristem (Pictures will come later this week by the end of the weekend). I'm really not sure. It kind of looks like a very young rose bud. I've been getting the things I need in order to try tissue culturing bananas, but I truely would rather not do it on one that is my only plant of any variety, nor am I ready time wise either. Questions now: 1) Does anyone think that this will come back to life? I'm going to inspect it everyday. If I MUST do emergency surgery and remove the meristem for TCing, I'll MAKE the time to do it one evening (hopefully I could wait until the weekend). 2) If I do remove the meristem without damaging the bottom of the corm, would it still pup off? I did a quick inspection for eyes, but couldn't get through the vast roots to see if there were any. I didn't have time to completely wash away all of the dirt to really get a good inspection then have to replant. 3) OR Should I leave it completely alone and see what happens? Thanks for everyones input and I'll definately have pictures by the weekend. I may even uproot it again and do a good washing to see what is going on underneath the ground.