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A survey of viral status
on potatoes grown in Eritrea and in vitro virus
elimination of a local variety ‘Tsaeda embaba’
Biniam, T.1
and Tadesse M2*
1National Agricultural Research Institute, P.O. Box 4627, Halhale,
Eritrea.
2University of Asmara, P.O. Box 1220, Asmara, Eritrea.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
tadesse@asmara.uoa.edu.er.
Accepted
20 December, 2007 |
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Potato viruses are the major causes of yield loss and
reduction in quality of seed tubers in Eritrea. A study was
conducted
to investigate the prevalence of viruses in potatoes (Solanum
tuberosum L.) grown in Eritrea and to evaluate methods
for their elimination. Leaf samples of two indigenous, (Tsaeda
embaba and Keyih embaba) and three exotic
varieties, (Ajiba, Spunta and Cosmos) were collected from
fields growing potatoes in Maekel and Debub Administrative
Zones and tested using the double antibody sandwich enzyme
linked immunosorbent assay (DAS ELISA) technique. Five of
the six most important potato viruses, PVX, PVY, PLRV, PVS
and PVA, were detected in single and multiple infections.
Virus elimination techniques were tested using in vitro
plantlets of T. embaba established from field-grown
tubers. Presence of PVX, PLRV and PVS was confirmed by ELISA
test. The plantlets were then subjected to thermotherapy
treatment for one and two weeks at 37oC. The
treatment was successful in eliminating only PLRV but failed
to eliminate PVX and PVS. When meristem culture was combined
with thermotherapy treatment for one week all three viruses
PVX, PLRV and PVS were eliminated with a success rate of 86,
83 and 100%, respectively.
Key words:
ELISA test, meristem culture, Solanum tuberosum L.,
thermotherapy, viruses. |
