POTATO MICROTUBER PRODUCTION IN BIOREACTORS

MICROTUBER USAGE HAS BEEN LIMITED BY HIGH LABOR INPUTS NEEDED FOR PRODUCTION. USING THE PATENTED MICROTUBER MULTIPLICATION SYSTEMS (MMS), THE MULTIPLICATION FACTOR IS INCREASED OVER 25 FOLD. THE INCREASE IN MULTIPLICATION FACTOR SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES MICROTUBER PRODUCTION COSTS. IN THIS PROPOSAL THREE DIFFERENT BIOREACTOR STYLES WILL BE EVALUATED FOR THEIR COMPATIBILITY WITH THE MMS. EACH BIOREACTOR STYLE WILL BE EVALUATED FOR MULTIPLICATION FACTORS, OPERATOR TIME REQUIRED AND MICROTUBER QUALITY. CURRENTLY MICROSHOOTS ARE USED IN THE INDUSTRY AND SHELL FOR $0.30 EACH. MICROTUBERS ARE EASIER TO HANDLE, STORE AND SEED THAN MICROSHOOTS, BUT ARE CURRENTLY NOT USED BECAUSE THEY ARE MORE EXPENSIVE. WITH THE NEW MMS TECHNOLOGY MICROTUBERS CAN BE PRODUCED AND SOLD FOR LESS THAN A MICROSHOOT.