Articles
Advances in blackberry synthetic seeds production
Article number
1444_6
Pages
39 – 46
Language
English
Abstract
Recently, there has been a notable increase in both cultivation and consumption of blackberries, accompanied by a rising demand for high-quality nursery materials.
Traditionally, blackberry plants have been propagated through agamic methods, primarily involving layering and cutting.
However, these methods come with constraints such as the requirement for extensive planting areas and labor-intensive processes.
As a solution to these limitations, in vitro propagation, specifically micropropagation, has been successfully proposed and widely adopted.
Within this context, encapsulation aiming to produce synthetic seeds emerges as a strategy to enhance the productivity of in vitro propagation and facilitate the exchange of plant material between laboratories.
Although synthetic seeds have shown potential applicability for various plant species, research on protocols for producing and utilizing encapsulated propagules in blackberries is still in its early stages of development.
This study focuses on evaluating the impact of low-temperature conservation (4°C) for 120 days and the type of in vitro sowing media (agarized, perlite, and potting substrates) on the performance of synthetic seeds of the blackberry cultivar ‘Thornfree’. The synthetic seeds were obtained through the encapsulation of the base of vitro-derived clumps.
Results obtained using an agarized sowing substrate indicate that storing blackberry synthetic seeds at low temperatures has no adverse effects on their viability, regrowth, conversion, number of shoots, and rooting percentage.
Moreover, certain parameters, such as the number and length of roots, shoot length, and fresh weight of plantlets, were found to be higher in the stored synthetic seeds compared to the unconserved seeds.
The type of sowing substrate significantly influences the performance of synthetic seeds, with satisfactory conversion rates and plantlet development observed only in the agarized substrate.
Traditionally, blackberry plants have been propagated through agamic methods, primarily involving layering and cutting.
However, these methods come with constraints such as the requirement for extensive planting areas and labor-intensive processes.
As a solution to these limitations, in vitro propagation, specifically micropropagation, has been successfully proposed and widely adopted.
Within this context, encapsulation aiming to produce synthetic seeds emerges as a strategy to enhance the productivity of in vitro propagation and facilitate the exchange of plant material between laboratories.
Although synthetic seeds have shown potential applicability for various plant species, research on protocols for producing and utilizing encapsulated propagules in blackberries is still in its early stages of development.
This study focuses on evaluating the impact of low-temperature conservation (4°C) for 120 days and the type of in vitro sowing media (agarized, perlite, and potting substrates) on the performance of synthetic seeds of the blackberry cultivar ‘Thornfree’. The synthetic seeds were obtained through the encapsulation of the base of vitro-derived clumps.
Results obtained using an agarized sowing substrate indicate that storing blackberry synthetic seeds at low temperatures has no adverse effects on their viability, regrowth, conversion, number of shoots, and rooting percentage.
Moreover, certain parameters, such as the number and length of roots, shoot length, and fresh weight of plantlets, were found to be higher in the stored synthetic seeds compared to the unconserved seeds.
The type of sowing substrate significantly influences the performance of synthetic seeds, with satisfactory conversion rates and plantlet development observed only in the agarized substrate.
Authors
L. Regni, S.L. Facchin, M. Micheli, C. Silvestri, P. Proietti
Keywords
Rubus spp., micropropagation, alginate beads, in vitro culture
Groups involved
- Division Vine and Berry Fruits
- Division Plant-Environment Interactions in Field Systems
- Division Horticulture for Human Health
- Working Group Vaccinium Species and Management
- Working Group Rubus and Ribes Species and Management
- Working Group Kiwifruit Culture and Management
- Working Group Strawberry Culture and Management
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