Semarang – Biotechnology Study Program, Diponegoro University, on Wednesday, September 21st, 2022 held a guest lecturer activity with the topic “Quality Potato Production with Tissue Culture Techniques”. In this event, the speaker was Prof. Ir. Ida Ayu Astarini, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Prof. Ir. Ida Ayu Astarini, M.Sc., Ph.D explained that the need for potatoes in Indonesia continues to increase from year to year. This is not offset by the low productivity of potatoes around 20 tons/ha in Indonesia. In the last ten years alone potato production in Indonesia did not provide a significant increase in production. The reason why potato production in Indonesia is low is because of the limited quality seeds, high seed prices, restrictions on imported seeds, pest control and limited transfer of Science and technology to farmers.
Prof. Ir. Ida Ayu Astarini, M.Sc., Ph.D continued that potatoes are very susceptible to viruses that can lead to decreased productivity, so superior potato seeds free of viruses are needed. This is where the importance of using plant tissue culture techniques. Through meristem culture to eliminate viruses can be a solution to produce virus-resistant potato seeds with high productivity with tissue culture techniques.
The tissue culture method begins by growing the shoot portion of the plant inside the enriched culture medium. When the explant has grown it is then tested with DAS-ELISA or molecular analysis to ensure the plant sample is virus-free. When virus-free plantlets have been obtained, the samples are propagated using micropropagation method in Murashige and Skoog medium without hormone. Samples are then subcultured every 4 weeks and then acclimatized before seeds are transferred to farmers.
Prof. Ir. Ida Ayu Astarini, M.Sc., Ph.D added that research opportunities in the field of tissue culture are still wide open, especially for the production of disease-free seeds in horticultural crops.
This event lasted for 2 hours and was enthusiastically followed by more than 85 participants until the end of the event.