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Abstract
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Article Information:
In vitro Micropropagation of Cassava Through Low Cost Tissue Culture
Kwame O. Ogero, Gitonga N. Mburugu, Maina Mwangi, Omwoyo Ombori and Michael Ngugi
Corresponding Author: Kwame O. Ogero
Submitted: February 13, 2012
Accepted: March 08, 2012
Published: May 05, 2012 |
Abstract:
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Adoption of drought-tolerant crops such as cassava can help alleviate food insecurity in sub-Saharan
Africa. However, production is constrained by lack of disease-free planting materials. This can be circumvented
through tissue culture but the technology is costly limiting its adoption. There is therefore, need to put in place
interventions that will reduce the cost of production hence making tissue culture products affordable. In this
research, a low cost protocol for cassava tissue culture was developed and used to regenerate two farmerpreferred
cassava varieties, KME 1 and Muchericheri. Easygro® vegetative fertilizer, a locally available foliar
feed was used as an alternative source for conventional MS salts. Nodal explants were initiated on a low cost
medium containing 2 g/L of Easygro® vegetative fertilizer supplemented with 30 g/L of table sugar and 9 g/L
of agar and conventional medium containing MS salts supplemented with 30 g/L of sucrose and 9 g/L of agar.
The conventional MS medium was used as the control. The number of leaves, nodes, roots and average plant
heights for the resultant plantlets were determined and compared. The variety Muchericheri had a significantly
higher regeneration index compared to KME 1 having produced a mean of 6.8 nodes on the low cost medium
and 5.6 nodes on the conventional medium compared to KME 1 which had a mean of 5.6 nodes on the low cost
medium and 4.5 nodes on the conventional medium. This is an indication that Muchericheri had a better
regeneration efficiency compared to KME 1.
Key words: Foliar feed, low cost medium, nodal explants, regeneration efficiency, , ,
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Cite this Reference:
Kwame O. Ogero, Gitonga N. Mburugu, Maina Mwangi, Omwoyo Ombori and Michael Ngugi, . In vitro Micropropagation of Cassava Through Low Cost Tissue Culture. Asian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, (3): 205-209.
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ISSN (Online): 2041-3890
ISSN (Print): 2041-3882 |
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