ISHS Acta Horticulturae 78: Symposium on Tissue Culture for Horticultural Purposes
TISSUE CULTURE METHODS AND GERMPLASM STORAGE IN POTATO |
| Authors: | R.J. Westcott, G.G. Henshaw, B.W.W. Grout, W.M. Roca |
| Abstract:
The rapid disappearance of primitive potato cultivars has led to the establishment of a comprehensive germplasm collection at the International Potato Centre (C.I.P) in Peru. The cost of maintaining a large proportion of the collection in clonal form is high and there is a risk of material being lost, particularly as a result of disease. The storage of material as tissue cultures is an alternative to traditional clonal storage. This communication describes work to produce disease-free cultures from a range of cultivars, including examples of all levels of ploidy from shoot-tip explants. Plantlets were formed in 60% or more of cultures except for the pentaploid varieties when the success rate was 22%. Storage methods with the aim of extending the period between transfers to twelve months or longer are described. Successful storage for six months has been achieved using minimal or enriched media and growth inhibitors. 60% of nodal cultures produced new growth when transferred after twelve months storage at 6°C. Finally the application of such techniques is discussed in relation to international distribution of germplasm and possible genetic changes which have been reported to occur in some tissue cultures. | |
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