PRODUCTION OF VIRUS FREE ARTICHOKE GERMPLASM

Vegetative propagation of globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus L.) by crown segments and offshoot facilitates the spread of systemic infections, in particular of viral origin, from one plant to another.
Sanitary status of artichoke crop is seriously compromised by viral infections, which reduce yield and quality of production.
For this reason, European regulations foresee the absence of the most dangerous pathogens, including Artichoke latent virus (ArLV), from the commercial propagative material.
In this paper we report the results obtained in eliminating ArLV from cultivar Romanesco C3 using two techniques: in vitro thermotherapy and meristem shoot culture.
Both techniques allowed us to obtain healthy artichoke plantlets; the percentage of which ranged from 69% for in vitro thermotherapy to 72% for meristem tip culture.
ArLV-free plantlets have been transplanted and grown under controlled conditions.
The absence of ArLV is routinely checked by molecular (RT-PCR and tissue printing molecular hybridization) and biological assays.

V International Congress on Artichoke

G. Babes, V. Lumia, G. Pasquini, G. Di Lernia, M. Barba

artichoke, ArLV, thermotherapy, meristem culture, virus elimination

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2004.660.70