* ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING IN VITRO PROPAGATION OF FICUS LYRATA

In the framework of an experiment of in vitro propagation of Ficus lyrata by which an adventitious bud propagation method was devised, two environmental factors were tested: jar inner atmosphere and illumination.

By a series of experiments the inner atmosphere of the jars was studied and it clearly appeared that adventitious bud formation is severely inhibited by air-tight stoppers closing the jars.
On the opposite, when stoppers without gaskets were used, sprouting of adventitious buds occurred abundantly and profusely within 2 months.
The nature of the inhibitory component of the inner atmosphere was studied by introducing KmnO₄ in the air-tight closed jars.
From these experiments and others on different species, it was possible to argue that inhibition to sprout was mainly due to presence of ethylene.

Conditions of illumination were tested in the framework of the same experiment and it appeared that light intensity between 1800 lux and 5600 lux produced no detectable difference on proliferation intensity.
The colour of the lamps (red or white) did not appear to influence sprouting of adventitious buds.

International Symposium on Propagation of Ornamental Plants

R. JONA, I. GRIBAUDO

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1988.226.4