BAR TODAY || Official Quarterly Publication of the Bureau of Agricultural Research

Disease-free potatoes?
by Likha C. Cuevas

January-March 2004
Volume 6 No. 1

Potato microtubers

You like potato chips and fries?

Ever wondered how these junk foods were before they are brought to the processing zones? Some of the potatoes are sourced locally and thus making the tuber one of the popular and economically important crops in the country. In fact, the potato is identified as one of the promising high value crops in Bukidnon and in the highlands of Misamis Oriental.

The Northern Mindanao Integrated Agricultural Research Center (NOMIARC) in Dalwangan, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon has used stem cuttings in propagating this crop. However, this technology does not insure high quality and disease-free planting materials, which are factors in expanding potato production.

Usually, potatoes are propagated through the use of tubers, the underground stems of the plant. Using the tubers, however, makes the crop vulnerable to pathogens like fungi, bacteria, and viruses. This in turn result to low yield and poor quality of harvest.
To address this problem, Fe Abragan, Lucille Minguez, Juanity Salvani, Cleofe Apiag, and Josephine Abalde of NOMIARC decided to use micropopagation in seed potato production.

Micropropagation is a technique in tissue culture wherein a tissue from a plant (explant) is isolated to create a sterile culture of that species in vitro (an artificial environment outside the living organism). Once a culture is stabilized and growing well in vitro (it can be in a test tube or bottle), multiplication of the tissue or regeneration of entire plants can be carried out. Shoots and leaf pieces are usually used but cultures can be generated from many different tissues of the plant. This method of cultivation of plant material is used for: rapid and large-scale year round production of desired horticultural varieties, propagation of plant species that are difficult to grow from seed, production of genetically uniform plant material (or clones), development of plant culture systems that can be used for genetic transformation like introducing disease resistance in a plant.

The NOMIARC team of researchers used the potato microtubers in the production of disease-free plant material through micropropagation. "Microtubers can be harvested in vitro conditions, stored, shipped, and planted conveniently," the researchers said. Microtubers can be produced throughout the year and can be planted inside the greenhouse for producing mini-tubers.

The researchers identified the varieties with high microtuber production and good agronomic characteristics. They also determined the usable and non-usable microtubers and made a cost and return analysis if micropropagation is used.

Results of the study showed that the production of the microtubers depends on the variety used. The promising 39.405), followed by Granola (38.10%) and Igorota (36.80%).

The researchers recommended that further studies that focus on the maturity index of the evaluated varieties be conducted. This is important in improving the size of the microtubers produced. Microtubers that are harvested prematurely do not produce sprouts and are prone to desiccation.

With this technology, hopefully, we will never run out of locally produced potato chips and French fries to munch in front of the TV.

Reference:
“Evaluation of 11 promising potato cultivars/varieties through microtuber production” by Abragan, F.N., Minguez, L.T., Salvani, J.B., Apiag, C.T., Abalde, J.I. of the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit 10, Northern Mindanao Integrated Agricultural Research Center (NOMIARC), Dalwangan, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.
Micropropagation@http://catf.bcresearch.com/biotechnology/tissueculture_research.htm
Photos: www.sciencetown.or.kr and www.fibkh.serpukhov.su