In Vitro Selection of Turmeric Somaclone Resistant to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. Zingiberi

Abstract

Fusarium wilt disease tolerant clones of Curcuma longa L. cv. Suroma were isolated using continuous in vitro selection technique against pure culture filtrate of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.zingiberi. In vitro shoot buds were challenged with pure culture filtrate of F. oxysporoum to isolate viable plants within 30 days of culture, which were further subjected to pure culture filtrate treatment. After four cycles of treatment, 15 cell lines, tolerant to culture filtrate were isolated through continuous in vitro selection and subcultured on Murashige and Skoog basal medium with Benzylaminopurine (3 mg/l) along with the control plants. Both tolerant and control plants were screened for disease tolerance by adopting in vitro sick plot technique. The data obtained from this experiment revealed a ratio of 188:68 tolerant: susceptible in vitro clones retrieved from tolerant plants. However, plants from T1a1 and control were susceptible under in vitro sick plot technique. The Fusarium wilt disease tolerant clones were hardened and established in soil with 90 % survival frequency.