In Vitro Multiplication Rate and Pot Yield of Cryopreservation Derived Buds of Yams (Dioscorea Spp)

Abstract

One of the principal objectives of the germplasm preservation is to maintain their unique genes combinations. A study was conducted in the laboratory and glass house to evaluate the multiplication rate of in vitro cultured plantlets, several morphological and yield characters of glass house pots grown plants derived from cryopreservation using modified droplet method on yams (Dioscorea spp.). In vitro MR was similar among in vitro culture, PVS2 treatment and cryopreservation derived plantlets for D. polystachya and D. cayenensis. In vitro only derived plantlets exhibited significantly lower MR in comparison to the two other treatment variants for D. bulbifera. This was, however, could be attributed to physiological effects which will be recovered in further sub-culture cycles. The morphological characters, number of tuber per plant and tuber' harvest weight per plant were constant for plant derived after cryopreservation and in vitro culture (control) for D. cayenensis. Modified droplet method is, therefore, reliable for the cryopreservation of yams germplasm and maybe other crops.