Location: Agricultural Genetic Resources Preservation Research
Title: Challenges in micropropagation of musa tissue cultureAuthor
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Submitted to: Society for In Vitro Biology Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 3/30/2021 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: n/a Technical Abstract: Musa (banana and plantain) fruits are a highly valued staple food and important in economies in many tropical countries. Shoot culture of the genus are easily established in vitro. However, in comparison to several other species, Musa culture require additional steps to ensure success. Almost all Musa cultures contain endophytes, often not visible until exposed to an abiotic stressor. Hence, before extended micropropagation, the shoots have to be screening for endophytes. Only endophyte free cultures are used for shoots intended for cryopreservation. Phenolic compounds are secreted by most Musa plants. The resultant blackening has deleterious effects, including death of the cultured plants. To some extent activated charcoal, when added to tissue culture medium absorbs the phenolic but charcoal also conceals low levels of endophytes when present. The shoot multiplication progress depends on the level of benzyl adenine (BA) in the medium; the higher the content (>6 mg/L) the more rapid and a larger number of shoots are developed but high BA concentration supports somaclonal variation. To conserve the genetic fidelity of cryopreserved Musa accessions, in vitro culture are micropropagated on 2.25 mg/L of BA. This low BA level lengthens, by several months, the time needed to produce the quality and quantity of Musa plantlets needed for cryogenic processing and storage. Current research on Musa culture focuses on replacing charcoal with other antioxidants and optimizing BA content in the culture medium. |
