Identification of Fungal Contamination in Tissue Culture of Dendrocalamus asper using Morphological and Biochemical Approaches

Abstract

Dendrocalamus asper is a giant bamboo species valued for its commercial and ecological significance. Tissue culture has been proven as an effective method to enhance propagation, but fungal contamination remains a major limiting factor, causing culture failure. Fungal contaminants may originate from explants, tools, air, or laboratory practices. In bamboo, large intracellular gaps and vessel voids at the cut ends allow contaminants to persist deep within the tissue, even after sterilisation. Identifying these fungal contaminants is crucial for improving micropropagation success rates. This study focuses on observing and identifying fungal contaminants in D. asper tissue cultures using morphological and biochemical analysis.