Evaluación de termoterapia y crioterapia para la eliminación de virus en Andimora (Rubus glaucus)

Abstract

CONDITION FOR PUBLICATION OF PROJECT. The production of Andimora (Rubus glaucus) is a highly relevant agricultural activity in Ecuador; however, the transmission of viruses such as Raspberry Bushy Dwarf Virus (RBDV) and Rose Ilarvirus 2 (RIV‑2) compromises crop yield and quality. This project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of thermotherapy and cryotherapy, applied individually and combined, as viral elimination methods to produce certified virus-free plant material. Seeds of the Andimora variety were germinated under standard in vitro culture conditions. Explants were subjected to thermotherapy (38 °C to 26 °C for 21 days) and, in the combined treatment, to cryotherapy through exposure to liquid nitrogen. Survival was 100% in the control group, 6.67% with thermotherapy, and 6.89% in the combined treatment, where regeneration was observed (5.17%). RT-PCR analysis confirmed the presence of RBDV and RIV‑2 in the control group, while detection in treated explants remained pending due to the reduced size of regenerated tissue.It is concluded that the combination of cryotherapy and thermotherapy enables the survival of meristems with regenerative capacity, representing a promising strategy for obtaining virus-free lines. Keywords: thermotherapy, cryotherapy, Rubus glaucus, virus elimination