In vitro cleaning of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) explants against the viral infections by application of the viral inhibitors (DHHT and virazol): a preliminary study

The objective of this work was to cleanse explants of Saccharum officinarum cultivated in vitro using the viral inhibitors DHHT and virazol. The basic vegetal material constituted seeds of 4 varieties of sugarcane, X99-055, X97-029, X99-071 and X97-035, obtained from the CIRAD of Guadeloupe. The explants of foliar, stem and root origin size 0.7 - 1.5 mm were cultivated on modified medium of Mourassigue and Skougou. The viral inhibitors introduced in the culture medium to proportions of 1%. The diagnosis of the viruses were made by symtomatologic tests confirmed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). 5 viruses (SCMV, CMV, RLMV and YDBV) were screened. The use of the virazol and DHHT makes possible to obtain 40, 55, 35 and 60% explants respectively free from SCMV, CMV, RLMV and YDBV on the X97-029 variety for explants size 1.2 - 1.5 mm. The results show that it is possible to obtain a seed-bearer material of sugarcane free from some viruses by the method of cleaning using the viral inhibitors on explants of larger cuts (1.2 - 1.5 mm).