Agronomic performance of cassava genotypes from the in vitro shoot tip culture submitted to clonal cleaning

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the agronomic performance of cassava genotypes from the in vitro shoot tip culture to eliminate the cassava frogskin disease for several root and aerial part characteristics. Cassava plants from accessions BGM0315, BGM0464 and BGM0841 infected with cassava frogskin disease were grown in a greenhouse after clonal cleaning. Cuttings from the three accessions were subjected to tetracycline concentrations (0, 5, 10 and 15 mg L^-1) for three minutes, and then maintained in an acclimatized chamber (35 ± 1 °C and 16 hour photoperiod). Shoots were disinfected for excising shoot tips (0.2 mm and 0.4 mm) and inoculated in a culture medium containing the same concentrations of tetracycline used in the cuttings. After 60 days of cultivation, the explants were transferred to medium without antibiotic, 30 days later they were acclimatized for a period of 70 days for subsequent planting in the field. Seven months after planting, agronomical evaluation was held for root and aerial part characteristics. No influence of isolated shoot tip size was noticed on agronomic characteristics, while the addition of tetracycline in the culture medium, specifically at the concentrations of 5 mg L^-1 and 15 mg L^-1, was favorable to the development of the root system of plants in the field. The results revealed that the agronomic performance of cassava plants derived from in vitro cultivation are higher for the production of basic propagation material for the following production cycles, as well as root production for commercial use with subsequent generation of income.