Potato plants in vitro culture as a model for maintaining and studying viruses

Abstract

This article examines the prospects for using potato plants in vitro for maintaining and studying viruses, and provides a brief overview of the recommended protocol for growing and micropropagating potato virus plants in vitro. The creation of a collection of pathogenic and quarantine plant viruses in vitro is essential for developing a plant virus research base. Many viruses do not maintain well in dead plant material for long periods, so a collection of live isolated plants will allow for the preservation of material and year-round research, as well as the monitoring of symptom development dynamics. Observing symptoms under sterile and isolated in vitro conditions will allow for an objective and more accurate characterization of the symptoms caused by various virus strains and species. Certain plants, including those cultured in vitro, can serve as indicators and be used to confirm infection. This study utilized plant micropropagation methods, PCR combined with reverse transcription to detect viruses in plant material, and sterilization methods necessary for working with aseptic plant material. The results of the study demonstrated the effectiveness of preserving plant viruses in vitro. The data obtained using the real-time RT-PCR method demonstrated the persistence of viruses during microclonal propagation of virus-infected plants in vitro, regardless of the passage. This method allows for the storage of live viral material over an extended period of time.