Sterile shoot production and direct regeneration from the nodal explants of potato cultivars

Abstract

Tuber borne bacterial, fungal and viral diseases adversely affect the yield of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars. The establishment of a pathogen-free stock of seed potatoes could be advantageous. Sprouts of potato cultivars Diamont, Cardinal, Desiree, Adora, Dura and Burna were used as the explants source for tissue culture. Using the nodal tissues, plantlets with complete differentiation into shoots and roots were achieved in darkness. These plantlets were multiplied in culture medium. Excised meristems were also multiplied in vitro. Using selected culture medium, virus free potato plantlets were produced. A simple and effective direct regeneration protocol has been developed which can be commercially exploited in the country for virus free seed production of potato for different agro-ecological zones. © 2006 Asian Network for Scientific Information.