Propagation of dasheen planting material of the genus Alocasia by in vitro culture

Abstract

Dasheen (Alocasia) is an option to produce animal food. However, at present it is not a commercial genus, so the availability of planting material is very limited. Biotechnology offers a rapid way of multiplying species of interest by in vitro culture. The objective of this work was to establish a complete protocol for the mass propagation of the cultivar 'verde picante' of the genus Alocasia by in vitro culture. Different experiments were developed to achieve efficient techniques for disinfection, establishment, types and concentrations of plant growth regulators, and the effects of the physical state of the culture medium in the multiplication and rooting phases. The multiplication in semi-automated culture systems and the conditions for the acclimatization phase were also evaluated. It was determined that disinfection should be performed with 3.0% sodium hypochlorite for 20 minutes. In the establishment and rooting phases, it is not necessary to use plant growth regulators, whereas in the multiplication phase 3.0 mg.L-1 of 6-Benzylaminopurine (6-BAP) produced the best results. With the semi-solid culture medium, the best morphological growth characteristics of the explants were obtained after three subcultures. The multiplication coefficient when using temporary immersion systems was 12.6. A complete and efficient protocol was established for the in vitro multiplication of the cultivar 'verde picante', including the optimal conditions for its acclimatization. These results are of great importance to promote the development of this genus in Cuba.