Author(s): Miheretu Fufa and Mulugeta Diro
Two potato varieties namely, ‘Hunde’ and ‘Ararsa’ were tested for their microtuber induction under five levels of sucrose (40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 gl-1) in completely randomized design with 2×5 factorial combinations. The objective was to determine optimum concentration of sucrose for microtuber induction. In both varieties, among the five concentrations of sucrose, MS medium supplemented with 60 gl-1 sucrose exhibited a better response than the other concentrations in mean values of microtuber number, diameter, and weight and was found optimum. Accordingly, this medium produced, after 42.57 ± 0.58 days of culture, an average value of (1.97 ± 0.02) microtuber number, (3.60 ± 0.04 mm) microtuber diameter, and (0.08 ± 0.002 g) weight of microtuber in the variety Ararsa. On the other hand, it gave, after 35.67 ± 0.58 days of culture, mean value of (2.90 ± 0.031) microtuber number, (2.95 ± 0.01 mm) microtuber diameter, and (0.06 ± 0.001 g) weight of microtuber in the variety Hunde.
