Tuberization of Dioscorea bulbifera stem nodes in culture

Tuberization of Dioscorea bulbifera expiants was induced in culture by media manipulation. This plant, commonly known as the air potato, produces aerial tubers in response to short day conditions in vivo. Nodal stem segments harvested from vigorously growing vines in spring and early summer served as experimental material. Nodal stem expiants of Solarium tuberosum were used in one experiment to ascertain whether the response was similar in other tuberizing species. An increase in sucrose concentration from 2% (w/v) to 8% (w/v) and/or a decrease in cytokinin concentration in the basal culture medium induced tuberization in both these plant species under non-inductive day lengths.