Preliminary screening of In vitro raised ginger regenerants to soft rot and bacterial wilt diseases using electrolyte leakage method

Two hundred and ninety six somaclones of ginger cvs. Maran and Rio-de-Janeiro regenerated through indirect organogenesis, indirect embryogenesis and in vitro mutagenesis were screened against soft rot and bacterial wilt diseases using toxic metabolites of Pythium aphanidermatum and Raistonia solanacearum by electrolyte leakage method. Twenty four per cent of the clones exhibited low leakage of electrolytes to toxic metabolites of pathogens showing their tolerance to diseases. Regenerants of cv. Maran exhibited less leakage of electrolytes to the toxic metabolites. The regenerants derived through indirect embryogenesis showed higher tolerance to both the diseases.