Volume 18, Issue 2 (4-2026)
J Crop Breed 2026, 18(2): 24-36 |
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Hatami A, Motallebi-Azar A, Zare-Nahandi F, Amani M, Najafi V. (2026). The Effect of pH and Different Concentrations of Agar on the Microtuberization Process in In-vitro Culture of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Variety Agria. J Crop Breed. 18(2), 24-36. doi:10.61882/jcb.2026.1619
URL: http://jcb.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-1619-en.html
URL: http://jcb.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-1619-en.html
1- Department of Horticultural Science and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
Abstract: (571 Views)
Extended Abstract
Background: In potato, viral infections can have destructive effects on the yield and quality of the crops. These infections not only lead to a decrease in the production and quality of tubers but can also result in the transmission of viruses to other plants. Therefore, the production of virus-free tubers in in-vitro conditions is recognized as an effective strategy to combat this issue. Optimizing cultivation conditions, including the regulation of temperature, light, humidity, and nutrient composition, can help maximize the rate and percentage of tuberization. This process enables researchers to produce healthy and higher-quality seedlings, which can ultimately lead to increased productivity and reduced production costs in potato farms. Consequently, investing in research and the development of innovative methods for producing virus-free tubers is of paramount importance and can significantly contribute to improving food security and agricultural sustainability in this field.
Methods: The effects of different pH levels and various agar concentrations, as well as their interactions, on microtuberization stages were investigated in this study. For this purpose, virus-free lateral buds of the Agria potato variety were cultured in an MS basal medium supplemented with 80 g l-1 sucrose and agar concentrations of 6, 8, and 10 g l-1 at pH levels of 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. The cultures were maintained under continuous darkness at a temperature of 17°C. The survival percentage of the explants, the percentage of microtuber production, the size and weight of the microtubers, and the dormancy of the produced microtubers were measured after 2 months.
Results: The effects of pH and agar concentration were significantly evident on the viability and tuberization of potato plantlets. The highest viability of the explants was observed at pH levels of 5 and 6, while a pH of 8 led to a decrease in viability. These findings highlight the importance of pH regulation in the early stages of culture, as higher pH levels may negatively affect the metabolic processes and, consequently, reduce the viability of the explants. Moreover, a concentration of 10 g/l of agar significantly reduced the viability of the explants. This decline may be attributed to the negative impact of this concentration on the moisture and structure of the culture medium, which can ultimately lead to difficulties in water and nutrient absorption by the plantlets. In contrast, optimal conditions for tuberization were observed at a pH of 6 and an agar concentration of 8 g/l, indicating that precise adjustments of these factors can enhance tuber production. The results also indicated that the size of the produced tubers at pH levels of 6 and 7, as well as their weight at pH 6, were significantly greater than those of the other treatments. This suggests that a pH of 6 not only contributes to an increase in the number of tubers but also positively influences their quality and size. In other words, optimal conditions for producing larger and higher-quality tubers were evident at a pH of 6, which could aid in improving the productivity of virus-free potato production. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that it is essential to pay attention to pH and agar concentration in the tuber production process in in-vitro conditions. Optimizing these parameters can serve as an effective strategy for increasing the success of producing healthy and high-quality tubers in potato plants. Ultimately, this research could provide a solid foundation for future studies aimed at optimizing in-vitro cultivation and producing virus-free tubers, assisting farmers in achieving better and healthier crops.
Conclusion: This research examined the effect of pH and various agar concentrations on microtuberization in in-vitro cultures of the Agria potato variety, with the results indicating the importance of these factors in the process of producing quality microtubers. Based on the findings, the optimal pH for microtuberization lies between 5 and 6 in the conditions of this study, and any change beyond this range, especially an increase in pH above 8, leads to a significant reduction in the survival percentage and microtuber production. Additionally, agar concentration also significantly affected the survival of explants, where an agar concentration of 10 g/l notably decreased viability. The control treatment (pH 6 and an agar concentration of 8 g/l) showed the highest percentage of microtuberization, emphasizing the importance of optimizing culture conditions to maximize microtuber production. Furthermore, the results indicated that inappropriate environmental conditions and significant fluctuations in pH and agar concentration could lead to increased dormancy of the microtubers. Despite a low percentage of dormancy in the produced microtubers in this study, it was significantly influenced by environmental conditions, suggesting that this dormancy may be primarily due to nutritional and hormonal disruptions arising from suboptimal culture conditions. Ultimately, this research demonstrates that optimizing tissue culture conditions, particularly pH and agar concentration, can facilitate the production of high-quality virus-free microtubers.
Background: In potato, viral infections can have destructive effects on the yield and quality of the crops. These infections not only lead to a decrease in the production and quality of tubers but can also result in the transmission of viruses to other plants. Therefore, the production of virus-free tubers in in-vitro conditions is recognized as an effective strategy to combat this issue. Optimizing cultivation conditions, including the regulation of temperature, light, humidity, and nutrient composition, can help maximize the rate and percentage of tuberization. This process enables researchers to produce healthy and higher-quality seedlings, which can ultimately lead to increased productivity and reduced production costs in potato farms. Consequently, investing in research and the development of innovative methods for producing virus-free tubers is of paramount importance and can significantly contribute to improving food security and agricultural sustainability in this field.
Methods: The effects of different pH levels and various agar concentrations, as well as their interactions, on microtuberization stages were investigated in this study. For this purpose, virus-free lateral buds of the Agria potato variety were cultured in an MS basal medium supplemented with 80 g l-1 sucrose and agar concentrations of 6, 8, and 10 g l-1 at pH levels of 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. The cultures were maintained under continuous darkness at a temperature of 17°C. The survival percentage of the explants, the percentage of microtuber production, the size and weight of the microtubers, and the dormancy of the produced microtubers were measured after 2 months.
Results: The effects of pH and agar concentration were significantly evident on the viability and tuberization of potato plantlets. The highest viability of the explants was observed at pH levels of 5 and 6, while a pH of 8 led to a decrease in viability. These findings highlight the importance of pH regulation in the early stages of culture, as higher pH levels may negatively affect the metabolic processes and, consequently, reduce the viability of the explants. Moreover, a concentration of 10 g/l of agar significantly reduced the viability of the explants. This decline may be attributed to the negative impact of this concentration on the moisture and structure of the culture medium, which can ultimately lead to difficulties in water and nutrient absorption by the plantlets. In contrast, optimal conditions for tuberization were observed at a pH of 6 and an agar concentration of 8 g/l, indicating that precise adjustments of these factors can enhance tuber production. The results also indicated that the size of the produced tubers at pH levels of 6 and 7, as well as their weight at pH 6, were significantly greater than those of the other treatments. This suggests that a pH of 6 not only contributes to an increase in the number of tubers but also positively influences their quality and size. In other words, optimal conditions for producing larger and higher-quality tubers were evident at a pH of 6, which could aid in improving the productivity of virus-free potato production. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that it is essential to pay attention to pH and agar concentration in the tuber production process in in-vitro conditions. Optimizing these parameters can serve as an effective strategy for increasing the success of producing healthy and high-quality tubers in potato plants. Ultimately, this research could provide a solid foundation for future studies aimed at optimizing in-vitro cultivation and producing virus-free tubers, assisting farmers in achieving better and healthier crops.
Conclusion: This research examined the effect of pH and various agar concentrations on microtuberization in in-vitro cultures of the Agria potato variety, with the results indicating the importance of these factors in the process of producing quality microtubers. Based on the findings, the optimal pH for microtuberization lies between 5 and 6 in the conditions of this study, and any change beyond this range, especially an increase in pH above 8, leads to a significant reduction in the survival percentage and microtuber production. Additionally, agar concentration also significantly affected the survival of explants, where an agar concentration of 10 g/l notably decreased viability. The control treatment (pH 6 and an agar concentration of 8 g/l) showed the highest percentage of microtuberization, emphasizing the importance of optimizing culture conditions to maximize microtuber production. Furthermore, the results indicated that inappropriate environmental conditions and significant fluctuations in pH and agar concentration could lead to increased dormancy of the microtubers. Despite a low percentage of dormancy in the produced microtubers in this study, it was significantly influenced by environmental conditions, suggesting that this dormancy may be primarily due to nutritional and hormonal disruptions arising from suboptimal culture conditions. Ultimately, this research demonstrates that optimizing tissue culture conditions, particularly pH and agar concentration, can facilitate the production of high-quality virus-free microtubers.
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