Articles
Micropropagation via shoot tips and nodal segments of ancient local pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) in Lebanon
Article number
1413_9
Pages
77 – 88
Language
English
Abstract
Lebanese pomegranate is threatened and the number of its individuals is decreasing.
The propagation of this tree by traditional methods is a tedious procedure.
Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of determining an adequate micropropagation technique in order to overcome these difficulties as well as the preservation of local germplasm.
The effect of two sterilization treatments and different plant growth regulator combinations were tested on two types of explants (shoot meristems and nodal segments) taken from two nearly 100 years old trees of pomegranate (‘Hamod’ and ‘Lefani’). Sterilization of explants with sodium hypochlorite proved to be more effective than mercury chloride for the control of fungal and bacterial contaminations, the reduction of losses by means of oxidation as well as explant survival.
MS medium supplemented with two antioxidants, ascorbic acid and PVP and different concentrations of the plant growth regulators BAP and NAA were investigated.
Shoot meristem cultures on MS medium supplemented with 2 mg L‑1 BAP and 0.5 mg L‑1 NAA gave rise to shoots with high percentages, 93.3% for ‘Hamod’ cultivar and 90% for ‘Lefani’. These shoots were healthy but relatively small that quickly became totally engulfed by callus formations with a vitrified appearance.
As for the culture of nodal explants, the best percentage of reactive explants was recorded for ‘Hamod’ at 72% and the mean number of shoots produced was 3.6 for ‘Hamod’ and 2.9 for ‘Lefani’. Shoots showed high rates of callogenesis and vitrification even after decreasing the concentration of BAP.
The propagation of this tree by traditional methods is a tedious procedure.
Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of determining an adequate micropropagation technique in order to overcome these difficulties as well as the preservation of local germplasm.
The effect of two sterilization treatments and different plant growth regulator combinations were tested on two types of explants (shoot meristems and nodal segments) taken from two nearly 100 years old trees of pomegranate (‘Hamod’ and ‘Lefani’). Sterilization of explants with sodium hypochlorite proved to be more effective than mercury chloride for the control of fungal and bacterial contaminations, the reduction of losses by means of oxidation as well as explant survival.
MS medium supplemented with two antioxidants, ascorbic acid and PVP and different concentrations of the plant growth regulators BAP and NAA were investigated.
Shoot meristem cultures on MS medium supplemented with 2 mg L‑1 BAP and 0.5 mg L‑1 NAA gave rise to shoots with high percentages, 93.3% for ‘Hamod’ cultivar and 90% for ‘Lefani’. These shoots were healthy but relatively small that quickly became totally engulfed by callus formations with a vitrified appearance.
As for the culture of nodal explants, the best percentage of reactive explants was recorded for ‘Hamod’ at 72% and the mean number of shoots produced was 3.6 for ‘Hamod’ and 2.9 for ‘Lefani’. Shoots showed high rates of callogenesis and vitrification even after decreasing the concentration of BAP.
Authors
A. Elbitar, R. Al Hajj Sleimane, A. Chehade, E. Choueiri, A. Kadri
Keywords
Punica granatum, in vitro, callus induction, micropropagation, rejuvenation
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