SELECTION OF Vanilla planifolia Jacks. ex Andrews GENOTYPES RESISTANT TO Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vanillae, BY BIOTEHNOLOGY

Abstract

One of the main problems facing the cultivation of vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Jacks. ex Andrews) in Mexico and the world is
its susceptibility to pests and diseases, among which stands out the root and stem rot caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.
sp. vanillae. Although Mexico is the center of origin and domestication of vanilla, there are currently no genetic materials
resistant to this pathogen. For this reason the Institute of Biotechnology and Applied Ecology (INBIOTECA) of the
University Veracruzana has undertaken for years a biotechnological genetic improvement program in order
to obtain vanilla genotypes resistant to this pathogen. To this end, plants (regenerated from callus) with
high percentages of polymorphism obtained in previous studies, were submitted to concentrations of
50% (v/v) of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vanillae. To date, 27.7% of plants resistant to this
concentration of fungal filtration have been obtained, which will be evaluated
under field conditions.