EFFECT OF CRYOPROTECTANT TREATMENTS ON SURVIVAL OF POTATO (SOLANUM-TUBEROSUM L) MERISTEMS

To improve the efficiency of vitrification, precisely timed pretreatments in the presence of different cryoprotectants of optimal concentrations are needed. In this study DMSO and PVS 2 have been used for vitrification with axillary buds and shoot tips of a particular potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) variety. Inappropriately application of PVS 2 (not the right concentration and exposure time) reduced the survival rate of meristems. We determined the adequate exposure time for each concentration of PVS 2 applied with ultra-rapid freezing (liquid nitrogen). Our results suggested that axillary buds were much more sensitive to severe osmotic stress than shoot tips. Application of DMSO alone proved to be highly toxic and in many cases there were no nodal and apical meristems showing callus formation after vitrification with DMSO.