A Low-cost Medium for Sweet Potato Micropropagation
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Date
2011
Authors
Ogero, K.O.
Mwangi, M.
Gitonga, Nkanata Mburugu
Ombori, O.
Ngugi, M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
African Crop Science Society
Abstract
Tissue culture has not been optimised in sweet potato (
Ipomoea batatas
(L) Lam) propagation due to high costs. With an
aim of producing affordable disease-free seedlings, a low cost medium was developed and used to regenerate two sweet potato
varieties (KEMB 36 and Tainurey). The conventional sources of MS nutrients were substituted with locally available fertilisers.
Thirty grammes per litre table sugar was used as a source of carbon. MS medium supplemented with 30g
-l
table sugar and 3g
-l
of gelrite
was used as the control. The number of leaves, nodes, roots and plant height for the two cultivars were determined and compared
. The
low cost medium was significantly (P<0.05) cheaper compared to the MS medium costing 94.4% less per litre. KEMB 36 had a
regeneration index of 7 nodes per plantlet on the low cost medium, while Tainurey had 3 nodes per plantlet
Description
Keywords
Ipomoea batatas (L.), Regeneration index, Tissue culture
Citation
African Crop Science Conference Proceedings, Vol. 10. pp. 57 - 6