The present study was conducted at Genetic Engineering Department in Agricultural
Research Directorate in Ministry of Science and Technology/Iraq in 2013, to evaluate
the effectiveness of aqueous extract of cogon grass at concentrations of (0.0 ,0.
25,
0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2%) and Kinetin (0.0, 1.5, 3, 5) mg/L on microtuberization of two
potato varieties; Daimond and Desire, in two separate experiments. All cultures
were placed in a growth room chamber at temeratures of 18-20 °C with darkness
for 90 days, until microtubers harvest. Data of microtuber per plant, diameters and
weights were investigated. Results showed a positive effect of cogon grass extract
at 2% on the number of microtubers and fresh weight (2.1, 104.41 mg, respectively)
and at 1% on the diameter (5.52 mm). Desiree cultivar was the best in fresh weight
of microtubers (188.41mg). The results of kinetin showed a significant effect on
all of the studied traits. The superior kinetin concentration was 5.0 mg/L which
gave the highest number of microtubers 2.22, while the concentrations 3.0 and 1.5
mg/L gave the highest values of diameter and weight ( 6.95 mm and 388.38 mg,
respectively). The two cultivars did not differ significantly in number of microtubers,
while Diamond cultivar was significantly higher in diameter and weight (6.86 mm
and 363.45 mg, respectively).
