Abstract
Taro is important for its nutritional content, medicinal use, and bioethanol production. The aim of the present study was to compare different semi-automated bioreactors (SABs) during in vitro multiplication of C. esculenta. The SABs used were temporary immersion bioreactors (TIBs), SETIS™ bioreactors and ebb-and-flow bioreactors; semi-solid culture medium was used as a control treatment. At 30 d of culture, different developmental variables, determination of chlorophyll, stomatal content, and survival percentage during acclimatization were evaluated. SABs increased the shoot multiplication rate relative to the semi-solid medium; however, the SETIS™ bioreactor showed the highest shoot production, with 36 shoots per explant, and the highest chlorophyll content. The stomatal index was higher in the semi-solid medium compared to the SABs, while the percentage of closed stomata was higher in the SABs than in the semi-solid culture medium. The survival rate during acclimatization showed no differences among the culture systems assessed, obtaining survival rates higher than 99%. In conclusion, the SETIS™ bioreactor showed the highest multiplication rate; however, other bioreactor alternatives are available for semi-automation and cost reduction for micropropagation of C. esculenta.
Highlights
When evaluating the effect of different culture systems on in vitro multiplication, significant differences were observed among the variables (shoots per explant, shoot length, leaves per shoot, roots per explant, root length and survival (%)) evaluated during the in vitro multiplication (Table 1)
Chlorophyll Content in Different Culture Systems Our results showed a higher photosynthetic pigment content in the SETISTM bioreactor compared to the semi-solid system, the ebb-and-flow bioreactor, and the temporary immersion bioreactors (TIBs)
This study shows an increase in stomatal index (SI) in semi-solid medium and a reduction in temporary immersion (TI)
Summary
Tarin a glycoprotein obtained from taro, is used for medicinal purposes, such as antitumoral, anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic activities [1,2]. This species is propagated both sexually and asexually; sexual propagation is rare and produces seeds with low genetic quality [3], while traditional asexual propagation by corms is seasonal and can cause the spread of pests and diseases [4]. The advantage of SABs is that they increase multiplication rates, allow greater availability of culture medium components and reduce production costs [7,8,9]. Micropropagation in SABs promotes photosynthesis and respiration, both caused by an increase in chlorophyll synthesis and stomatal functionality [10,11]
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