In-vitro Ginger Multiplication: Screening of Starch from Different Cassava Varieties as Gelling Agent in Medium

Shoot tip explants excised from vigorously growing in vitro shoot culture of ginger (UG1) were seeded singly into culture tubes containing 15 mL of ginger multiplication medium gelled differently in 7% starch from eight different cassava varieties (TMS 92/0057, 97/0162, 97/2205, 82/0058, 92/0323, 92/0505 TME 419 and NR 8082) and in 0.7% agar (control). Cultures were maintained at 28°C ±2 and 16 h photoperiod ( 30-40 μmole m-2 S-1 ) supplied by white fluorescent tubes on shelves for 6 weeks. Percentage shoot survival ranged from 10-80%, with shoots from TME 419 starch gelled medium having the highest (80%) as against agar (60%). The multiplication rate of shoots from the different medium ranged from 1.0-7.0. Of the eight starches tested, shoot multiplication in three namely TMS 97/0162, TMS 98/0505 and TME 419 were not significantly different (p<0.05) from agar. In fact, shoots from TMS 98/0505 starch gelled medium recorded the highest multiplication rate of 7.0. These results provide the rationalization for the adoption of cassava starches especially, from these varieties in the order (TME 419, TMS 97/0162 and TMS 98/0505) as substitute for agar as a gelling agent for in vitro multiplication of ginger.