Efficiency-cost, micropropagation, bioreactors, temporary immersion systems

Abstract

Micropropagation has been used in plant species in which sexual propagation becomes difficult or whose propagation rate is low. In particular, in vitro Temporary Immersion (SIT) systems applied to strawberry mother plant production have proven to offer technological and quantitative benefits, as well as a higher proliferation rate, compared to the Traditional in vitro System (ST). In this regard, the benefits of the SIT have not been evaluated in terms of reducing labor costs, inputs and production, so that it is a profitable alternative to provide strawberry producers with a mother plant. The objective of this study was to develop a comparative cost-efficiency analysis between the ST and the SIT for the production of strawberry mother plant of the CP-Jacona variety. The traditional method of financial analysis was applied. The results revealed that the SIT for the production of strawberry mother plant allowed to generate higher productive yields from the year 2022 and, as a result, a lower unit-cost, than that obtained under the ST. It is concluded that the productivity of the SIT is fundamental to be able to reduce unit costs, and in this way, it is an alternative to provide strawberry producers with a mother plant.