Morphoagronomic characterization of (Manihot esculenta Crantz) clones obtained by in vitro culture

Methods for cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) micropropagation have been refined in Cuba; however, few surveys have been carried out on characterization. A set of plants from ‘Señorita’, ‘CEMSA 74-725’ and ‘CMC-76’ clones was characterized. These plants were propagated by traditional methods (cuttings), organogenesis and starting from somatic embryos, so as, to study the genetic stability of the material through morphoagronomic descriptors taking into consideration in vitro culture techniques. 44 descriptors were evaluated and nine quantitative and eight qualitative variables were determined as the most important. Differences (between and within clones) were only detected for quantitative variables: width and length of leaf lobules, length of leaf stalk, total height and height of the first branch, stem number, number of marketable roots per plant, weight of commercial roots and stem thickness. These results obtained in this crop for the first time in Cuba are of great importance for a better knowledge of studied clones and constitute a base for further analysis to validate implemented in vitro culture methods. Key words: morphoagronomic descriptors, genetic stability, cassava, organogenesis, embryogenesis