Micropropagation efficiency determination of cassava (Manihot esculenta, Euphorbiaceae) genotypes of interest to the Northeast of Argentina.

Abstract

Micropropagation efficiency determination of cassava (Manihot esculenta, Euphorbiaceae) genotypes of interest to the Northeast of Argentina. In vitro cassava propagation has been reported in numerous studies; however, the efficiency of multiplication had only been established in a very restricted number of cultivars and / or subcultures during micropropagation. In order to evaluate the in vitro multiplication of 20 economically important cassava cultivars of Northeast Argentina (six total subcultures performed every 30 days), uninodal segments were cultured in basal Murashige and Skoog (1962) supplemented with 0.01 mg/L of 1-naphthaleneacetic acid, 0.01 mg/L of 6-benzylaminopurine and 0.1 mg/L gibberellic acid. Plant regeneration was possible in 100% of the cultivars during the 6 subcultures. Regardless of the subculture, the average number of nodes regenerated per explant varied significantly among cultivar from two to five nodes per plants (P?0,0001). The average number of accumulated nodes was significantly different among cultivars with values that ranged from 46 to 16,568 nodes per plants (P?0,0001). Results show variability due to genotype, distinguishing three cultivars groups according to their propagation efficiency and growth in length ability. Determining the multiplication rate of different cassava cultivars is essential for optimizing micropropagation.