COST REDUCTION IN THE MICRO-PROPAGATION OF SUGAR CANE (Saccharum spp.)

Abstract

Strategies were developed to decrease costs of micro-propagation of sugar cane (Saccharum spp.), beginning with the establishment of a protocol for its in vitro propagation, from apical meristems of the CP 94-1674 variety as the first phase and its later scaling in temporary immersion bioreactors and implementing of light-emitting diodes (LED), as strategies to reduce production costs. The conventional multiplication was carried out in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 1 mg L^-1 of 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 3 mg L^-1 of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid; and for the scaling in Temporary Immersion Bioreactors, the MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg L^-1 of BAP was used. A multiplication rate ten times higher than conventional propagation was obtained, with a decrease of 30 % of the cultivation medium and 10 % of labor. The use of LED light was implemented as a strategy to decrease electricity consumption and costs of materials used.