Effects of Acclimatization on the Ethylene Production of Tissue-Cultured Yam (Dioscorea Alata L.)

Abstract

Acclimatization is an indispensable process for the production of healthy plantlets before their transport, distribution and planting in the field. However, unfavorable conditions caused by biotic or abiotic factors during acclimatization may induce the production of ethylene by the tissue cultured plantlets. To further explore this process, this study was conducted to investigate the influence of different durations of acclimatization in a natural environment on the production of ethylene of tissue-cultured yam (Dioscorea alata L.). The study was set out in a  Randomized Complete  Block Design (RCBD) where one-month-old tissue cultured VU2 yam plantlets in glass bottles were used as test plants and exposed to acclimatization for one day, two days, three days, and four days before transport, distribution, and field transfer. Yam plantlets acclimatized for one day exhibited the lowest ethylene production (8.53 nl g^-1h^-1) but is not significantly different from the amount of ethylene produced by plantlets acclimatized for two and three days. Plantlets with the lowest ethylene produced showed the highest percentage survival (80.72 %) but were not significantly different from plantlets acclimatized for two and three days. Plantlets acclimatized up to four days had the lowest percentage survival (43.22 %). Longer acclimatization up to four days enhanced contamination in culture bottles with pathogenic microorganisms. One day acclimatization is found sufficient to increase plant survival and improve growth response of seedlings.