Contribution of the Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory of Zamorano to the Micropropagation and the Production of Pathogen Free Plants
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5377/ceiba.v52i1.1130Keywords:
Arundo donax, in vitro culture, massive propagation, ornamentals, orchids, stevia, sugar cane, sweet potato, taroAbstract
Zamorano inaugurated the Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory in 1985. For 27 years the Lab has done research on in vitro propagation of ornamentals, agronomic and woody crops. Among the ornamentals, orchids like the Honduran national flower (Rhyncholaelia digbyana), has been produced successfully, as well as other native orchids, African violets (Saintpaulia ionantha), ferns (Nephrolepis cordifolia), anturiums (Anthurium andreanum) and Zamioculcas zamiifolia. All of these crops are highly appreciated in the local market and are the product of the learning by doing practices with our students. For the last four years the lab´s focus has been directed on some economically important crops for industry and energy production, such as sugar cane and Arundo donax; for the compound-extraction industry with Stevia rebaudiana, and on taro root (Colocasia esculenta) and virus free sweet potato (Ipomea batatas) for farmers and exporters.
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