In vitro propagation of three mosaic disease resistant cassava cultivars

BACKGROUND: Cassava is a staple food for over 800 million people globally providing a cheap source of carbohydrate. However, the cultivation of cassava in the country is facing to viral diseases, particularly cassava mosaic disease (CMD) which can cause up to 95% yield losses. With aim to supply farmers demand for clean planting materials, there is need to accelerate the production of the elite cultivars by use of tissue culture in order to cope with the demand. METHODS: Nodal explants harvested from the greenhouse grown plants were sterilised using different concentrations of a commercial bleach JIK (3.85% NaOCl) and varying time intervals. Microshoots induction was evaluated using thidiazuron (TDZ), benzyl amino purine (BAP), and kinetin. Rooting was evaluated using different auxins (Naphthalene acetic acid NAA and Indole-3-butyricacid IBA). PCR-based SSR and SCAR markers were used to verify the presence of CMD2 gene in the regenerated plantlets. RESULTS: The highest level of sterility in explants (90%) was obtained when 20% Jik was used for 15 min. The best cytokinin for microshoots regeneration was found to be kinetin with optimum concentrations of 5, 10 and 20 μM for Agric-rouge, Atinwewe, and Agblehoundo respectively. Medium without growth regulators was the best for rooting the three cultivars. A survival rate of 100, 98, and 98% was recorded in the greenhouse for Agric-rouge, Atinwewe, and Agblehoundo respectively and the plantlets appeared to be morphologically normal. The SSR and SCAR analysis of micropropagated plants showed a profile similar to that of the mother plants indicating that the regenerated plantlets retained the CMD2 gene after passing through in vitro culture, as expected with micropropagation. CONCLUSION: The nodal explants was established to be 20% of Jik (3.85% NaOCl) with an exposure time of 15 min. Kinetin was proved to be the best cytokinins for microshoot formation with the optimum concentration of 5, 10 and 20 μM for Agric-rouge, Atinwewe, and Agblehoundo respectively. The protocol developed during this study will be useful for mass propagation of the elite cassava cultivars.