Tissue culture
is the rapid multiplication of plant selections and
offers the benefit of converting or expanding plantations
quickly and efficiently with superior selections
of disease-free plants.
All our banana plants are sourced from our foundation block that was established and evaluated with the help of world-renowned Banana specialist, Dr. John Robinson.
Complete traceability from
foundation block to grower.
All the laboratory varieties are selected for their vigorous growth, high commercial yield potential, plant stability and uniformity.
Each meristem is virus-indexed by an accredited third-party laboratory for all known Banana viruses before multiplication. Our reputation for true-to-type, high quality plants with low off-type percentages is maintained through selection and meticulous tissue-culture techniques.
Du Roi Laboratory was granted an ISO 9001 certification for the management system for the production of banana tissue culture plants in February 2011, becoming the first banana production tissue culture laboratory in Africa to receive this certification by complying with international standards for quality management.
Du Roi Laboratory produces approximately
10 million
banana plants annually,
available at three stages of development.
In-vitro plants
- Efficient / cost effective method of exporting plants
- Weaning and nursery facilities needed to harden off plants for field planting
- 10% extra plants supplied free of charge
In-vivo (5cm) plants
- Suitable for export and local growers who do not have weaning facilities
- Nursery needed to harden off plants for field planting
- 5% extra plants supplied free of charge
Field-ready (20cm) plants
- Plants immediately ready to plant into field
- Transported by road only, not suitable for air-freight
- 2% extra plants supplied free of charge
Our Varieties
At Du Roi Laboratory we offer our own elite single clone varieties, selected,
and evaluated by Dr. John Robinson, world renowned banana specialist.
Du Roi Laboratory produce Cavendish, sub-group of the Musa AAA genome, dessert banana plants of the following varieties:
Du Roi Williams
Williams was imported from Australia and released in South Africa mainly to eliminate the problem of choke throat in cold winters.
Typical bunch characteristics are:
- Cylindrical bunch shape
- No compaction of hands
- Longer straight fingers
- Higher pack out of extra-large fruit from each bunch
Williams has a distinct advantage in that it is more resilient than its main rival, Grand Nain, and performs better than Grand Nain when soil and/or climatic conditions are sub-optimal or extreme.
In the 1980’s and early 1990’s, the Cavendish cultivar Grand Nain was imported to South Africa from Central America.
Typical bunch characteristics are:
- Bunches are slightly heavier
- Fingers are a good size and slightly curved
These advantages all add up to a higher yield per annum of extra-large fruit with Grand Nain, under optimal conditions. Grand Nain is generally regarded as the most widely grown Cavendish dessert cultivar in both tropical and subtropical localities
Grand Nain
Grand Nain
In the 1980’s and early 1990’s, the Cavendish cultivar Grand Nain was imported to South Africa from Central America.
Typical bunch characteristics are:
- Bunches are slightly heavier
- Fingers are a good size and slightly curved
These advantages all add up to a higher yield per annum of extra-large fruit with Grand Nain, under optimal conditions. Grand Nain is generally regarded as the most widely grown Cavendish dessert cultivar in both tropical and subtropical localities
Nandi
Nandi is a single clone, elite Du Roi selection of Grand Nain.
Advantages of Nandi over Grand Nain:
- 5% shorter plant
- Higher yielding bunches
- Cycle time up to 1 month faster
An ideal selection for maximum yields and quality where soil and management conditions are optimal.
Apollo is a single clone, elite Du Roi selection of Williams with a shorter height and faster cycle, bunch to bunch.
Typical bunch characteristics are:
- 5% shorter plant
- Higher yielding bunches
- Cycle time up to 1 month faster
Apollo is slightly more sensitive to sub-optimal climatic /management conditions but will grow well in climate that suits it.
Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is a single clone, elite Du Roi selection of Williams with a shorter height and faster cycle, bunch to bunch.
Typical bunch characteristics are:
- 5% shorter plant
- Higher yielding bunches
- Cycle time up to 1 month faster
Apollo is slightly more sensitive to sub-optimal climatic /management conditions but will grow well in climate that suits it.
Grand Negra
Grand Negra is a single clone, elite Du Roi selection of Grand Nain.
Characteristics of Grand Negra:
- Tall, vigorous selection
- Big bunches with long peduncles making bunch more accessible
- Faster cycling selection
- Very stable in the soil under windy conditions
A good selection for maximum yields and quality where soil and management conditions are optimal.
The name is derived from the natural dark pigmentation on the pseudostem.
Chico is a Du Roi improved, high-yielding clone of Chinese Cavendish.
Characteristics of Chico are:
- Cylindrical bunch shape
- Shorter plant than Grand Nain, but with similar productivity
- Short cycling selection boosting the annual yield potential
Should be planted under optimal conditions of climate, soil and management.
Chico
Chico
Chico is a Du Roi improved, high-yielding clone of Chinese Cavendish.
Characteristics of Chico are:
- Cylindrical bunch shape
- Shorter plant than Grand Nain, but with similar productivity
- Short cycling selection boosting the annual yield potential
Should be planted under optimal conditions of climate, soil and management.
Delta
Delta is a Du Roi selected clone of Dwarf Cavendish.
Characteristics of Delta are:
- Cylindrical bunch shape
- Taller and higher yielding than standard Dwarf Cavendish
- More tolerant to choke-throat than standard Dwarf Cavendish
- Sturdy thick pseudostem which may not require propping
- Fast cycling selection
- Easily managed and more tolerant to windy conditions
- Suitable selection for centre pivot irrigation systems
Formosana is a cavendish banana variety with a high tolerance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 (Foc TR4), which was acquired through somaclonal variation by the Taiwan Banana Research Institute.
Characteristics of Formosana:
- A productive tall selection
- Cylindrical bunch conformation with high pack out of large and extra-large fruit
- Longer cycling selection
- High yielding bunches – similar to Grand Nain and Williams
Formosana
Formosana
Formosana is a cavendish banana variety with a high tolerance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 (Foc TR4), which was acquired through somaclonal variation by the Taiwan Banana Research Institute.
Characteristics of Formosana:
- A productive tall selection
- Cylindrical bunch conformation with high pack out of large and extra-large fruit
- Longer cycling selection
- High yielding bunches – similar to Grand Nain and Williams
You receive plants that are:
Virus indexed
Disease free
High quality
Elite selections
High yielding
True-to-type
With Du Roi Laboratory you get:
Expert packaging solutions to ensure your plants arrive in perfect conditions.
Well trained staff who specialise in their area of work.
We supply plants to over 35 countries across the world.
Our efficient and friendly sales and logistics team will assist you throughout the entire export process.
We provide technical field support to our customers.
