Indirect plant regeneration in Dioscorea rotundata and Dioscorea alata yam genotypes using different explants

Abstract

Yam (Dioscorea sp.) is an important staple crop for millions of smallholder farmers in West Africa. In this study, we aimed to develop an efficient indirect plant regeneration system for three important yam genotypes “Kukrupa,” “Mankrong Pona” and “Matches.” The potential of leaf primordia, petioles and axillary bud explants for callus induction on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with different concentrations (0, 3, 5, 7 and 9 mg/l) of 2,4-dicholorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) or picloram were tested. Callus induction was influenced by auxin concentration as well as explant. The highest callus induction was achieved using leaf primordia (“Kukrupa” and “Mankrong Pona”) explants on 3 mg/l picloram or axillary buds (“Matches”) on 5 mg/l picloram. Transfer of callus to 6-benzylaminoapurine (BAP) amended medium resulted in the formation of at least two shoots per callus clump. Plantlets were obtained on basic yam medium supplemented with 0.2 mg/l 1-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), 3 mg/l kinetin and 0.5 mg/l BAP after four weeks. Post acclimatization plantlet survival was high (75 − 82.5%). The indirect plant regeneration protocol reported through this study helps in the improvement of important yam genotypes through tissue culture-oriented genome editing, in vitro mutagenesis and also for its mass propagation.

Keywords:

• Callus induction
• explants
• 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid
• picloram
• leaf primordia
• plantlet regeneration
• smallholder farmers

Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission for providing the resources necessary for the experiment.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest is reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the government of Ghana through the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI), Ghana Atomic Energy Commission.