Water-Dissolved Ozone Mediates Potyvirus Sanitation during In Vitro Propagation of <i>Dioscorea Cayenensis</i> Subsp. <i>Rotundata</i> (Poir.) Miège

Abstract

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is an important food source for a large part of the population in tropical regions. However, yam is susceptible to a range of serious and debilitating diseases including viruses. The application of water-dissolved ozone (1.5 ppm for 10 min) allowed to get potyvirus-free in vitro yam plants, with an efficiency rate statistically similar to the electrotherapy (63.5% and 62.5%, respectively). Besides, the application of ozone stimulated the growth of the in vitro-produced plants, which represent an important advantage over other sanitation methods used during the Biotechnology Seed Production program of yam in Cuba.