Conservation of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars by cryopreservation

The shoot-tips of plants of 10 potato cultivars maintained by micropropagation were frozen (ultra rapid freezing) and cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen for three months. The survival rate of the thawed specimens exceeded 50%, and even reached 100% in the case of the cultivar Fenix. The average regeneration rate was between 2.5% and 22.0%, depending on the cultivar and the presence of extra plant hormones in the regeneration medium. Cytogenetic stability was confirmed by flow cytometry: no polyploid plants were found. The regenerated plants showed vegetative development characteristics of their respective cultivars.