African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6785

Full Length Research Paper

Development of low cost technology for in vitro mass multiplication of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

E. P. Venkatasalam1*, Richa Sood1, K. K. Pandey1, Vandana Thakur1, Ashwani K. Sharma2 and B. P. Singh1
School of Veterinary Medicine, Wollo University, Dessie, P. O. Box 1145 Dessie Ethiopia.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 04 December 2013
  •  Published: 19 December 2013

Abstract

Production of potato is constrained by lack of disease-free planting materials. This can be circumvented through tissue culture but the technology is costly limiting its adoption. As composition of culture medium used for shoot regeneration has a great influence on cost and there is a potential for use of locally available low cost resources as alternatives to the conventional costly laboratory resources. There is therefore, need to put in place interventions that will reduce the cost of production hence, making tissue culture products affordable. The present study describes a highly cost effective in vitro mass multiplication protocol for potato. The developed low cost medium can be used to boost the production of affordable disease-free potato seedlings, besides, this practice could be helpful in achieving more than 95% reduction in media cost.

Key words: Potato, micropropagation, low cost, medium, carbon source, tap water, plantlets.