Biotechnological strategies for germoplasm conservation in the INIA-CENIAP, Venezuela. Case: cassava and musa

Abstract

The Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agrícolas (INIA), Venezuela, has as part of its objective evaluation, conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources of agricultural interest for the country. In this paper are presented experiences and results in the ex-situ conservation carry out in the cassava, Manihot esculenta Crantz and Musaceae, Musa sp. gene Bank at National Center for Agricultural Research (CENIAP), specifically on in vitro conservation. 82 cassava clones and 99 Musaceae. clones are conserved in vitro. For cassava, the conservation process begins with the plant regeneration from meristem culture in a Murashige Skoog (MS) culture medium, sucrose 20 g l-1, BAp 0.5 mg l^-1, Ag agar 6 g l^-1, called MY. The in vitro conservation consists of micro-cutting culture in MS to half concentration of mineral salts (MS/2), sucrose 20 g l^-1, benzyl amino purine (BAp) 0.05 mg l-1, gibberellic acid (Ag ) 0.05 mg l^-1, naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) 0.02 mg l^-1, pH 5.7-5.8; agar 6 g l^-1 or Phytagel 2 g l^-1. In Musaceae clones, the meristems are cultured in MS, BA 5 mg l^-1, citric acid 0.7 g l^-1, and glycine 2 mg l^-1, and for in vitro conservation, regenerated plantlets are cultured in MS/2, the half concentration of vitamins and without growth regulators 0.05 mg l^-1, NAA 0.02 mgg l^-1.