Plant Tissue Cult. 12(2) : 99-108, 2002 (December)

In vitro Propagation of Maytenus canariensis (Loes.) Kand. & Sund. from Apical Meristem Culture

S. Mederos-Molina

Department of Plant Physiology, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
E-mail: smedemol@ull.es

Key words: Maytenus canariensis, Apical meristems, Macroelement solutions, Plant growth regulators

Abastract

Mature plants of Maytenus canariensis (Loes.) Kund. & Sund. were established from apical meristem cultures, using 2-month-old branches collected during the first seven weeks of spring. Most satisfactory results were obtained using a modified woody plant Macronutrients solution (WPM.2) enriched with 15 mM of KNO3 and supplemented with MS micronutrients plus 2.96 ?M thiamine-HCl, 4.86 ?M pyridoxine-HCl, 2 mM L-cystenie HCl, 1.44 ?M GA3, 2.2 ?M BAP, 1.1 ?M IAA, 0.56 mM myo-inositol, 2.2 mM glucose and 5 g/1 agarose. The effects of WPM.2 and plant growth regulators were strongly dependent on the physiological state of the mother plant. Whole shoots were used for in vitro regeneration of multiple shoots and best results were achieved with WPM.2 in combination with 4.44 ?M BAP and 2.85 ?M IAA or 2.69 ?M NAA. Shoots were rooted with different combinations and concentrations of auxins without any symptoms of chlorosis or necrosis in quarter-strength WPM.2 salts, combined with 1.71 ?M IAA plus 1.61 ?M NAA. Shoots and roots grew well under low light intensity of 15 ?M/m²xs for 13 days, followed by 33 ?M/m²xs for 33 days.

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