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BIOREACTOR MEDIATED GROWTH, CULTURE VENTILATION, STATIONARY AND SHAKE CULTURE EFFECTS ON IN VITRO GROWTH OF SUGARCANE

G. MUSTAFA SAJID^1* AND SAIRA PERVAIZ²

Abstract: Physical and chemical culture conditions are crucial in large scale micropropagation of clonally propagated plant species. In this study, two lines of sugarcane were used in a series of experiments to assess their In vitro growth performance under specified treatments of physical culture conditions. In one experiment, a Sibata glass double chamber bioreactor was used to evaluate the growth of cultures in two compartments of the bioreactor and it was found that the lower compartment proved better in supporting the culture growth as compared to the upper compartment. Lower compartment generated almost two times greater shoot mass and 1.5 times higher shoot numbers as compared to the upper compartment of the bioreactor. In a separate experiment, In vitro growth of sugarcane cultures was compared in vented vessels with the non-vented vessels. Ventilation was substantiated with microfilters (0.4 um membrane filters). It was observed that growth is initially better in vented vessels but soon extreme desiccation ensues due to loss of moisture from the media and plants and it proved detrimental to culture health. In yet another experiment, liquid and semi solid media were compared for their effect on In vitro culture of two sugarcane varieties. Liquid media exhibited better culture growth in case of BL-4 but Katha behaved opposite indicating thereby that there is a differential genotype dependent response to such culture conditions. Culture conditions described herein have proved very useful in maintaining the In vitro gene bank of Plant Genetic Resources Institute (PGRI) which undertakes collection, maintenance, evaluation, and distribution of germplasm of all plant genetic resources including the clonally propagated species.

¹Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology and Genetic Resources (IABGR), National Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad, Pakistan

²Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department (FSCRD),  G/9, MINFAL, Islamabad, Pakistan