Development and Agronomic Evaluation of In Vitro Somaclonal Variation in Sweet Potato Regenerated Plants from Direct Organogenesis of Roots

Plant tissue culture techniques proffer a substitute method of vegetative propagation and regeneration of several crops. Genetic variability occurs frequently in micropropagated and regenerated plants. However, plant tissue culture may generate genetic variability, i.e., somaclonal and gametoclonal variations as a result of gene mutation or changes in epigenetic marks. Somaclonal variation has provided a new and alternative tool to the breeders for obtaining genetic variability relatively rapidly and without sophisticated technology in crops. In this study, the most adventitious buds developed from root explants of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) cultured in liquid media under a 16 h photoperiod, and the use of BAP and ZEA promoted the development of more adventitious buds than 2iP. Using an improved protocol, approximately 100 plants were regenerated by direct organogenesis of roots, and a total of 50 morphological somaclonal variants were visually identified in the greenhoue; however, only 13 somaclonal variants (SC-1 to SC-13), with several morphological variants, showed reasonable growth and were selected for further evaluations. The stomatal chloroplasts number, crude protein content and sugar analysis, dry matter and agronomic yield, were evaluated and showed significantly variations.

Author(s): Guillermo E Delgado-Paredes, Consuelo Rojas-Idrogo, Jorge Chanamé-Céspedes, Eny IS Floh and Walter Handro

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