The objective of this research work was to evaluate the in vitro multiplication potential of ten strawberry cultivars : 'Aromas', 'Bürkley', 'Camarosa', 'Campinas', 'Dover', 'Milsei-Tudla', 'Oso Grande', 'Santa Clara', 'Sweet Charlie', and 'Vila Nova'. The procedures used for this purpose were similar to those found in the protocol observed by commercial micropropagation laboratories. The disinfestation of the scions was made by dipping them in an alcohol and sodium hypochlorite solution, the meristem culturing in a semisolid medium containing 1 mg of BAP, 0.01 mg of NAA, and 0.1 mg of G3A per liter and the scions multiplication in an MS medium containing 1 mg of BAP at 25° ± 4° C, 20 µE m-2 s-1 and a photoperiod of 16 hours. Each cultivar was represented by 10 scions and for each one the multiplication rate, the levels of contamination, the vitrification and the oxidation were evaluated during the establishment ( 30 days ) and multiplication phases ( 4 subcultures). The estimated number of seedlings per scion from each cultivar was : 559 for 'Aromas', 569 for 'Burkley', 516 for 'Camarosa', 517 for 'Campinas', 3,907 for 'Dover', 1,841 for 'Milsei-Tudla', 943 for 'Oso Grande', 350 for 'Santa Clara', 298 for 'Sweet Charlie', and 1,132 for 'Vila Nova'. The quantification of this genetic variability helps in the planning of the matrical plants production of each cultivar which takes place in commercial micropropagation laboratories.
Fragaria x ananassa; pathogen cleaning; micropropagation; runner plants production
