This study was conducted in the tissue culture laboratory of the Horticulture
Department, Faculty of Agriculture. Mansoura University during the period from 2002
to 2005, aiming to investigate the shoot multiplication and production of microtubers in
in vifro of Sofanum tuberosum L. cv spunta and evaluated this microtubers under
salinity conditions.
Effect of different concentrations of NaCl (0.0. 0.5. 1.0. 2.0, 4.0, 6.0, and 8.0
giL) was recorded on shoot proliferation and mlcrotuben'zation. All parameters under
this study (shoot length, number of both shoots and leaves ! explant and cluster fresh
weight) were significantly decreased at the highest levels of salinity (6.0 and 8.0 gfL
NaCl). However, number of shootsfexplant was significantly increased by 4.0 g/L
NaCl. It is a matter of interest to mention that multiplication rate was not significantly
affected by salinity up to 4.09fL NaCl. Survival percentage and number of shoots per
explant at 4.0 glL NaCl were 81.10% and 6.85. respectively. However at 8.g!L NaCI
these parameters were 47.50% and 2.14. respectively.
Microtuber characteristics (number, weight, length and diameter) were
recorded under saline condition. All these parameters were decreased by increasing
NaCl concentration in the culture media and the decrease was significant at 6.0 and
8.0 glL NaCl. The number of microtubers per shoot was not significantly decreased
by increasing salinity level up to 4.0 giL NaCl ( 2.55) , while at 6.0 and 8.0 glL NaCl
was significantly decreased (2.14 and 1.53, respectively).