Tissue culture for potato minituber micro-propagation

A complete potato minituber micro-propagation procedure includes mother plant selection, buds cutting, microplant culturing, tuberization, etc.

 

potato seeds production diagram

 

Mother plant

potato mother plantThe first stage of potato minitubers micro-propagation is to choose the best mother plant for tissue culture. Factors to be considered include: final application of potato, local climate, growing period, variety's resistance against virus, fungi and pest. The mother plant must be healthy, no injuries nor affection.

Take cuttings from the mother plant buds, immersing the cuttings into alcohol an other meduim for the virus eradication. Buds from minituber is the best option, since the virus contaimination stands the least chance. G1 or G2 are second options. After bud sterilization, immerse cuttings into propagation medium for new virus-free buds.

 

Micro-propagation & microplants development

potato micro propagationWhen the new buds sprout out, cut the tip off (around 0.1~0.3mm). In each tip, there will be 1~2 primordiums left and virus-free. Place those tips in corresponding propagation medium, new sprout will come out for the development of new microplants.

In this stage, temperature is controlled at 23~25C, sun exposure 13~16 hours per day. Artificial light is also optional althought the plants are relatively weaker than those from the sunlight. After 2~4 weeks, yong potato will come out.

All items including tubers, buds, tips, facilities and tools are sterilized, making sure the newly developped microplants are virus-free.

potato microplant propagation

Tuberization

When microplants are 20~25 days old,7~10cm tall, transplant them into greenhouse, for minituber tuberization. Vetilation, temperature, irrigation, disease, pest, etc, are strictly contorlled during this tuberization period. For single microplant, 1~2 minitubers will be harvested.

 

potato minituber greenhouse

 

Soil for microplant can be peat, vermiculite, coconut peat, etc. All must be sterilized before entring greenhouse.

After the classification according to tubers' weight, quality and other requirements, they will be transported to outdoor field for G1 potato seed planting.

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