Articles
VIRUS DETECTION AND PROPAGATION OF VIRUS-FREE BULBS FROM SELECTED PROGENIES OF POLLENLESS LILIES
Article number
900_41
Pages
325 – 331
Language
English
Abstract
In Italian floriculture lilies have become the most important cut flower crop in the last 30 years.
More than one hundred million lily bulbs are imported from abroad each year.
The availability of Italian cultivars has become an important objective in the national production of lilies as cut flowers.
The aim of this research was to develop a fast and effective RT-PCR protocol to identify the species of virus in pollenless Asiatic hybrid lilies.
Lily symptomless virus (LSV) and Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) are two of the most common viruses that decrease plant growth, vigour and cut flower quality.
Bulbs of Asiatic hybrids bred at CRA-VIV (409, 599, 20, 00158, 0045, 0097, 0035, 00136, 216, 505), with good commercial and agronomic characteristics were propagated in vitro.
New bulblets were obtained and subjected to molecular analysis by RT-PCR. In order to produce virus-free plants, a protocol was established combining repeated shoot tip meristem excision and tissue culture before and during thermotherapy applied to bulblets in vitro.
Shoot meristems were excised and micropropagated.
Thermotherapy at 35°C with different exposure times were tested on the growth of bulblets in vitro.
A second meristem was then cut from the heat-treated material.
Leaf tissues from bulblets formed before or after heat treatments were analyzed by RT-PCR reactions.
Virus-free plants resulting from a second meristem cut were grown in vitro and acclimatized in greenhouses.
More than one hundred million lily bulbs are imported from abroad each year.
The availability of Italian cultivars has become an important objective in the national production of lilies as cut flowers.
The aim of this research was to develop a fast and effective RT-PCR protocol to identify the species of virus in pollenless Asiatic hybrid lilies.
Lily symptomless virus (LSV) and Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) are two of the most common viruses that decrease plant growth, vigour and cut flower quality.
Bulbs of Asiatic hybrids bred at CRA-VIV (409, 599, 20, 00158, 0045, 0097, 0035, 00136, 216, 505), with good commercial and agronomic characteristics were propagated in vitro.
New bulblets were obtained and subjected to molecular analysis by RT-PCR. In order to produce virus-free plants, a protocol was established combining repeated shoot tip meristem excision and tissue culture before and during thermotherapy applied to bulblets in vitro.
Shoot meristems were excised and micropropagated.
Thermotherapy at 35°C with different exposure times were tested on the growth of bulblets in vitro.
A second meristem was then cut from the heat-treated material.
Leaf tissues from bulblets formed before or after heat treatments were analyzed by RT-PCR reactions.
Virus-free plants resulting from a second meristem cut were grown in vitro and acclimatized in greenhouses.
Publication
Authors
B. Nesi, S. Lazzereschi, S. Pecchioli, A. Grassotti, B. Ruffoni
Keywords
Lilium spp., RT-PCR, thermotherapy, LSV, CMV
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