Working strategy for bacterial contamination control on sugarcane micropropagation

Abstract

The most important losses in labs are caused by microbial contamination. Though several methods have been assayed and put into practice to eliminate or to diminish bacterial contamination of in vitro culture in cells and plant tissues, none has been completely effective. In the present research the aim was to find effective methods to prevent and to control the bacterial contamination of in vitro culture of sugarcane. The culture media for the in vitro plant multiplication was modified by adding nutritive substances in order to evaluate its effect on bacterial contamination percent and its phytotoxicity on in vitro plants. It was also evaluated the effect of modification of the initial pH of the in vitro plant culture medium and bacterial contaminants. It was proved that it is possible, without damaging the in vitro plant, to increase the growing of bacterial contaminants by adding coconut water (100.0 ml.l-1) or yeast extract (250.0 mg.l-1) to the culture medium of multiplication of the sugarcane. The use of the initial pH 6.5 favors the early appearance of bacterial contaminants detecting them since the first 24 hours without a negative effect to the in vitro plant. Evaluating these results a working strategy was set for the prevention and control of bacterial contamination in sugarcane micropropagation by applying early detection methods. Key words: bacteria, coconut water, Saccharum spp. hybrid, yeast extract