Cassava micropropagation in a developing economy: efficacy of the use of alternative sources of water, macro and micro-nutrients

Abstract

The effect of water, micro- and macro-nutrient source on growth and development of cassava plantlets was investigated. Two varieties of cassava (TME 2 and TMS 4(2) 1425) were used. The double- distilled water currently being used was substituted with well water, IITA tap water and water from air conditioner (a/c); while the Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium popularly adopted as the source of macro-nutrients, micro-nutrients and vitamins was also substituted with fertilizers and multimineral tablet. Percentage root formation, plantlet formation and number of roots per plantlet were considerably reduced when tap water was used in TMS 4(2) 1425 but not in TME 2. Well water and a/c water performed equally well as double-distilled water in supporting plantlet growth and development. Almost all the plantlets grown in medium with fertilizer as macro-nutrient source did not survive while those grown in medium with multimineral tablet as micro-nutrient source appeared stunted. Most of those grown in medium with both fertilizer and multimineral tablet as macro- and micro-nutrient sources also did not survive. MS basal medium still proved to be the best in supporting plantlet growth and development, it was however the most expensive.