VIRUS FREE PLANTLET PRODUCTION OF POTATO (Solanum tuberosum L.) THROUGH MERISTEM CULTURE

Abstract

The experiment was undertaken with a view to establish a protocol for in vitro culture and plant regeneration using potato meristem as explant collected from potato sprouts of six popular potato varieties Diamant, Cardinal, L. Rosetta, Granola, Asterix and BARI ALU 29. The experiment was setup at Tissue culture laboratory of Debiganj farm, Panchagarh. from March, 2015 to February, 2016. In the present study four levels of GA3 (100, 200, 300 and 400 ppm) were used to assess the influence of GA3 on sprouting abilities of six popular potato verities. The maximum sprouting efficiency was observed in 400 ppm GA3 treatment. Seven levels of GA3, 2, 4-D and Kinetin were used along with fresh MS media to inoculate meristems of potato sprouts. Maximum size of callus (0.82 cm) was observed in Cardinal inoculated in T3 (0.5 mg/l GA3 +1.0 mg/l 2, 4-D+ 1.5 mg/l KIN). Granola meristem inoculated in hormonal treatment T2 (0.5mg/l GA3 + 0.5mg/l 2, 4-D + 1.5mg/l KIN) showed the best results regarding minimum days required to shoot initiation (5.13 days) and the single shoot length (2.41 cm). Three levels of GA3 treatments (T1- fresh MS, T2- MS+0.5mg/l GA3 and T3- MS+1.5mg/l) were used to study the subsequent shoot elongation and plant regeneration of single shoot produced from meristem culture. On DAS- ELISA test all genotypes showed negative result against virus. Among all varieties Diamant was the least responsive whereas Granola showed overall better performance from meristem culture to establishment of plants in field conditions.