New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts
In vitro elimination of onion yellow dwarf and shallot latent viruses
in shallots (Allium cepa var. ascalonicum L.)
P. J. FLETCHER
J. D. FLETCHER
New Zealand Institute for Crop & Food
Research Limited
Private Bag 4704
Christchurch, New Zealand
S. L. LEWTHWAITE
New Zealand Institute for Crop & Food
Research Limited
Pukekohe Research Centre
Cronin Road, R D 1
Pukekohe, New Zealand
Abstract Two shallot (Allium cepa var.
ascalonicum L.) cultivars, `Mikor' and `Jermor', were used
to test a protocol for in vitro virus elimination. Basal explants were
prepared, surface sterilised, and placed onto a medium consisting of Murashige
and Skoog (M & S) salts and vitamins with the addition of 3% sucrose, 1.0
mg/litre benzyladenine, 50 mg/litre ribavirin, and 0.8% agar. The explants
underwent 5-6 days of continuous heat therapy: 4 h light at 35deg.C; 4 h dark
at 31deg.C. When the shoots were 2-3 cm long they were excised, transferred to
shoot inducing medium without ribavirin (the anti-viral chemical), and grown
under normal tissue culture conditions of 24deg.C under fluorescent lights with
a photoperiod of 16 h. Finally, the plantlets were introduced to a bulb
inducing medium (M & S salts and vitamins, 120 g/litre sucrose, 5 g/litre
activated charcoal) for 2 months in vitro before being tested for onion
yellow dwarf and shallot latent viruses by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent
assay) and transferred either to the glasshouse or into long-term storage
(6deg.C with a photoperiod of 16 h). Virus assays have confirmed that 60% of
resulting `Jermor' and 62.0% of `Mikor' grown in vitro plants were free
of shallow latent and onion yellow dwarf virus infections.
Keywords in vitro virus elimination; shallot;
Allium cepa var. ascalonicum; ribavirin; heat therapy; ELISA;
shallot latent virus; onion yellow dwarf virus; long-term cold storage
H97-53
Received 10 November 1997; accepted 2 February 1998
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (704K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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