An efficient method of propagating cassava plants using aeroponic culture

Abstract

Supplementary Figure 1. Work flow of plant propagation using the aeroponic system. (1) Six-week-old tissue culture plants are transferred to the soil. (2) The wrapping film surrounding the plantlet is loosened about 2 weeks and the plantlet is cultivated to grow up for a period of up to 2-4 weeks. (3) Optional step: generation of a new shoot from a properly lignified stem cutting. (4) Obtain explants from a top and middle portion of stems of the plant source: i) plantlets derived from tissue culture, ii) renewal plants and iii) shoot parts obtained from properly lignified stem cuttings. (5) The explants are placed in the aeroponic system and covered with a wrapping film. (6) The film is gradually opened after three days. (7) Transfer the rooted plants to soil in pots. (8) Use the propagated plants for the next cycle of propagation in the aeroponic system after the rooted plants are grown for 2-4 weeks. Blue arrow: Preparation of the source material. Green arrows: Propagation cycle.

Getting to the roots of aeroponic indoor farming

“…We speculate that differences between these studies might arise from differing cultivation platforms, and environmental and genotypic variability. For example, Ritter et al (2001) attributed delayed tuber formation to enhanced vegetative growth caused by an unlimited nitrogen supply, whilst studies by Chang et al (2012) and Tokunaga et al (2020) identified variation between tuber yield of distinct potato and cassava cultivars during aeroponic cultivation. Therefore, it would be informative in future to compare and understand the performance of different varieties of specific crops cultivated aeroponically, under various environmental conditions, to identify traits compatible with aeroponic cultivation in particular climates.…”

“…(2012) and Tokunaga et al . (2020) identified variation between tuber yield of distinct potato and cassava cultivars during aeroponic cultivation. Therefore, it would be informative in future to compare and understand the performance of different varieties of specific crops cultivated aeroponically, under various environmental conditions, to identify traits compatible with aeroponic cultivation in particular climates.…”

Cassava mosaic disease and its management in Southeast Asia

“…Cassava stock seed production systems have been established at HLARC, Dong Nai, Vietnam and at UBB, Battambang, Cambodia. Conservation and propagation of healthy seed stocks of major cassava varieties have been established at HLARC and UBB using stock seed production fields and screenhouses, and tissue culture and aeroponics in laboratory facilities (Tokunaga et al 2018(Tokunaga et al , 2019. Several local farmers in Dong Nai, Vietnam, and Battambang and Banteay Meanchey, Cambodia have been engaged to produce healthy cassava seeds using the stock cassava seeds produced at HLARC and UBB.…”

“…Large scale propagation by tissue culture, however, requires a high initial monetary investment to establish and support facilities and equipment, and to sustain trained technical staff. Tissue culture-derived plantlets also require up 10-12 weeks for soil acclimation and growth to reach a height of 25 cm, an adequate height for field planting (Tokunaga et al 2018(Tokunaga et al , 2019. While tissue-culture platforms would not be required in multiple locations in each country, it is considered that tissue culture facilities should therefore not serve as the principal propagation source for disease-free cassava plants, but can act as germplasm stocks for certified disease and pest free elite varieties.…”

Homo sapiens: The Superspreader of Plant Viral Diseases

“…For instance, the initial course for the spread of both African cassava mosaic virus (ACMV) [ 11 ] and sweet potato virus disease (SPVD) [ 30 ] is the exchange of infected stem cuttings and vines, respectively. If farmers are not vigilant, purchasing plant materials (i.e., seeds and tissues for vegetative propagation) from uncertified seed networks can increase the risk of global dissemination of plant virus diseases [ 31 ]. The effects are the same with the use of infected plant material for grafting, budding, and transplanting [ 17 ].…”