The effect of different compositions of growth media on the development of microplants of the Antonina potato variety

Abstract

The results of studying the influence of growth media of different compositions on the growth and development of healthy microplants of potato variety Antonina in laboratory conditions in vitro are presented. Six compositions of Murashige and Skoog culture medium were considered: standard according to the recipe modified for micropropagation (control); with a reduced content of mineral components (up to 1/2 and 1/3); with an increased content of agar-agar (10 g/l); with a reduced content of agar-agar (4 g/l), and modified by the addition of 3 mg/l giberrellic acid and 1 mg/l indoleacetic acid. The following parameters of cultivated plants were studied: plant length, root presence, number of internodes, total plant weight, leaf weight, root weight, leaf surface area. The use of growth media with a reduced content of mineral components led to an increase in the length of the plants under study by 8–9%, a decrease in the number of internodes by 0.49–0.85 pcs/plant, an increase in the mass of the root system by 23% and a decrease in the mass of the shoot due to reduced leaf mass by 16–31%, as well as a decrease in the total leaf surface area by 21–30%. When growing plants on a growth medium with an increased content of agar-agar, the following changes were observed: a decrease in the length of plants by 13%, a decrease in the mass of the root system by 8%, a decrease in the shoot mass due to reduced leaf mass by 11% and stem mass by 17%. Plants grown on a growth medium with a low content of agar-agar had a shorter stem length (by 12%), a lower number of internodes (by 0.93 pcs/ plant), a lower mass of root system and leaves by 31% and 11%, respectively, compared to the control. In this variant, the rate of rhizogenesis was also reduced. With the addition of giberrellic and indoleacetic acid to the growth medium, the plants demonstrated a significant increase in length by 32%, a decrease in the root mass by 77%, and a decrease in the shoot mass due to reduced leaf mass by 58% and stem mass by 33%. The total leaf surface area was 34% lower than the control values. In order to accelerate micropropagation of healthy Antonina potato plants and prepare the plants for replanting to an aero-hydroponic system, Murashige and Skoog medium modified for micropropagation proved to be the best option among the tested growth media. In order to keep this variety in the in-vitro collection, it is recommended to use the MS growth medium with a low agar-agar content.