Genetic Stability and Viruses- Free Strawberry Plants Propagated via Repeated Meristem Culture

الملخص

Viruses cause great losses in agriculture. One of the major viruses affecting strawberry is Strawberry latent ringspot virus (SLRSV) and Strawberry mild yellow edge potexvirus (SMYEPV).  Propagation via tissue culture is always accompanied with genetic instability. To produce a virus-free and genetically stable plant of commercial strawberry cultivar Hadas, a regeneration protocol was established using repeated shoot meristem from in vitro grown plant. Enzyme-linked immunosrbent assay (ELIZA) was used for virus’s detection and Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was used to check for genetic stability of propagated plants. Results indicated that MS medium supplemented with BAP (2mg/ l) and GA₃ (1 mg/l) gave the maximum number of shoots (5 shoots/explant) with maximum average shoot length of 4.3cm. For rooting, MS medium supplemented with IBA at concentration of 1 mg/ l gave the best results (7 roots /explant) and with average root length of 4.5cm.  ELIZA results showed that repeated meristem culture for a second time from in vitro grown plant produced 100 % viruses free plant. RAPD analysis showed that the regenerated plants are genetically stable. In conclusion, repeated meristem culture was found to be more efficient in eliminating viruses and produce genetically stable plant

Keywords: Strawberry, Tissue culture, repeated meristem culture, Hadas , BAP, IBA.

https://doi.org/10.24897/acn.64.68.221