Effect of explant density and medium culture volumes on cassava micropropagation in Temporal Immersion System

Abstract

Due to the need of producing high quality planting material available to cassava growers, it has been necessary to look for alternatives in order to increase the efficiancy of in vitro propagation methods and their automation, such as the use of the Temporal Immersion Systems (RITA®). This work was carried out to increase the multiplication coefficient for cassava mass propagation through out Temporal Immersion Systems. The clone ‘CMC-40’ was used. Different medium volumes per explant, and material density per unit at a given Immersion frequency were tested. The highest results were obtained in the 2.8 multiplication coefficient with 20 ml culture medium volume and 3.2 using a density of 40 explants/flask. When the Temporal Immersion System is used with these results, a more efficient method for cassava micropropagation is established and also higher quality vitroplants for the rooting stage and further acclimatization in field conditions are produced. Key Words: Tissue Culture, liquid culture medium, Manihot esculenta Crantz