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Corn and potato starch as
an agar alternative for
Solanum
tuberosum
micropropagation
Mohamed, M. A. H.*, Alsadon, A. A. and Al
Mohaidib, M. S.
Department
of Plant Production, College of Food and Agricultural
Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451,
Saudi Arabia.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
mmahmohamed@gmail.com.
Tel.: +966 592318909. Fax: +966 144678467.
Abbreviations: CS, Corn starch; PS, potato starch.
Accepted 29
June, 2009 |
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Potato single nodes were subcultured onto fresh MS medium
gelled with 0, 1 and 2 g/l of agar + 40, 50 or 60 g/l of
commercial corn and potato starch (CS or PS, respectively).
After 4 weeks of culture, the pH of medium supplemented with
50 or 60 g/l of CS or 60 g/l of PS was significantly
decreased to 3.91 - 4.00. This reduction coincided with a
significant increment in electric conductivity (EC) which
was
172 - 214 µmhos/cm-1
for media containing
50 or 60
g/l of CS, or 60 g/l of PS. Corn and potato starch had no
significant effect in plantlet height nevertheless, they
significantly increased the number of shoots/explant over
the control treatment (2.5) which had 7 g/l of agar. The
highest number of shoots/explant (6.8) was achieved in
medium with 50 or 60 g/l of PS + 1 g/l of agar. Plantlets
developed on media with 40 g/l of CS or PS had higher shoot
fresh and dry weight (p < 0.5) compared to those in the
control one. Media with 50, 60 g/l of PS or 60 g/l of CS and
50 g/l of CS + agar at 1 g/l significantly enhanced the
percentage of dry weight. Moreover, 92 - 98% of plantlets
were acclimatized to the greenhouse conditions regardless
the type of gelling agent. The results suggest that the
combination of agar and PS or CS could offer a firm support
for plant tissues and could be successfully used for potato
micropropagation.
Key
words:
Cheap gelling agent, starch, potato, micropropagation. |
