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dividerTitleArchiveAchievementsdividerThe process of pathogen-free stock plants production in potato’s different cultivars in IRAN
The process of pathogen-free stock plants production in potato’s different cultivars in IRAN
The process of pathogen-free stock plants production in potato’s different cultivars in IRAN

                          Potato became one of the most important staple crops with annually more than 376 million tons tuber yield in recent years, made it as top forth crops worldwide. Iran produces about 5 million tons potato at 160,000 ha and is placed at 13th in the world. Potato is traditionally propagated by dividing tubers which during this practice, various pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and viroides could be yearly disperse and results in a major decrease in yield. So, the novel biotechnological approaches have been developed for production of healthy potato seed tubers.  During 2005, about 2000 tons of super-elite seed tubers were imported mainly from European countries to Iran, which not only caused the outflow of currency (4 million dollars/year), but also may risk the food safety and breakout of quarantine infections such as powdery scab and golden nematode. Obviously, remarkable costs must be paid to controlling such foreign pests and pathogens. In this case, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran (ABRII) have successfully achieved to the self-sufficiency program of potato seed tuber production and the technology of in vitro production of pathogen-free stock plants transferred to private companies. Today, about 28 laboratories are actively produce more than 10 million minitubers which met the whole demand in our country. Yearly, about 6000 pathogen free stock plants from different cultivars of potato are delivered from ABRII to the companies. After 2007, in spite of dramatic decline in plantation area, the total yield of potato was increased partly due to distribution of high quality seed tuber. During 5 past years, we produced 27 tons/ha potatoes which is 7- ton more than the world average yield. 

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