Micropropagation of Potato Accessions from the Glamoč Locality (Glamočki Potato Variety) in the Gene Bank of the Republic of Srpska

Abstract

Introduction: In vitro multiplication represents an important biotechnological method in modern agriculture, enabling rapid and efficient plant propagation while preserving both the health status and genetic stability of plant material. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), as one of the most important food crops worldwide, is propagated vegetatively, which increases the risk of transmitting viruses and other pathogens through seed material. Special attention is given to genotypes that are important for preserving genetic diversity and producing high-quality seed material, such as the Glamočki potato.

Aim: The aim of this study was to establish a simple and efficient protocol for the in vitro propagation of the Glamočki potato using standard Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium without the addition of plant hormones, as well as to assess the success rate of acclimatization of the regenerated plants under controlled conditions.

Materials and Methods: Sterile nodal segments, taken from an already established in vitro culture, were used as the initial plant material, and cultivation was carried out under sterile conditions on standard MS medium. During the micropropagation process, the stages of culture initiation, shoot formation, rooting, and acclimatization were monitored. Particular emphasis was placed on the acclimatization phase, which was conducted in an acclimatization chamber, where temperature, relative humidity, and light conditions were carefully controlled and gradually adjusted to help the plants adapt to external conditions.

Results: The obtained results showed that successful plant regeneration could be achieved even without the use of phytohormones, with the formation of multiple shoots per explant. Rooting occurred spontaneously, and the acclimatization process was satisfactory, with a survival rate of over 50%.

Conclusion: The developed protocol enables efficient in vitro multiplication of the Glamočki potato and can serve as a basis for the preservation and commercial production of this valuable genotype through the generation of high-quality, disease-free seed material.