VIRUS FREE PLANTLETS PRODUCTION OF SWEET POTATO (Ipomea batata (L.) Lam) THROUGH TISSUE CULTIVATION AND MERISTEM CULTURE

¹Benisheikh, A.A.G, ²Zainab .M. Aliyu, ³Zainab Tamus, ⁴Abdullahi Audu and ⁵Mala Modu

¹North East Zonal Biotechnology Centre, University of Maiduguri, Borno State.

²Deparment of Biological Science

Sir Kashim Ibrahim College of Education Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

³Department of Basic Studies

Mohmet Lawal College of Agriculture Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

⁴Department of Agricultural Technology

Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.

⁵Department of Forestry and Wildlife, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

Virus  free  sweet  potato  plantlet  production   were  investigated through meristem culture of sweet potato plantlets meristem was isolated  from  field  grown  runner  tip  explants  and  cultured  on modified Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium containing auxin (2,4- D) and  cytokinins  (KN,  BA,  BAP)  was  used  to cultivate  meristem culture and tissue culture of sweet potato (Ipomea batata (L.) Lam) in vitro. Concentration of sucrose was at 3% w/v level. The pH media was adjusted to 5.7 before the addition of agar 8% w/v, meristems with 2-3 leaves primordial were dissected out aseptically and inoculated to the media (various levels of hormones  and in different combinations),  then incubated at 27 + 20C under light intensity of 2000-3000 lux in the culture room. Treatments include 2,4-D and BA at levels of 1mg/L and 0.25 mg/L, respectively  with GA3, (0.1 mg/L) produced better plantlet, but higher levels of 2,4-D with KN (2.5 mg/L) induced the meristems to form callus. After having DAS- ELISA test the in vitro grown plantlets were being used for massive micro propagation. Visual evaluation of the morphological trails of the meristem culture derived plants showed normal and free from various diseases. Gross yield was obtained in meristem derived plants over their source plants.