FIELD PERFORMANCE OF SEEDLINGS AND MICROPROPAGATED PLANTLETS OF CAROB TREE

Micropropagated plantlets of ‘Mulata’ and ‘Galhosa’ growing in pots, after acclimatization in the glasshouse and growth for several months under natural conditions, were transferred to a field trial.
Carob seedlings of ‘Mulata’ were also transferred under the same conditions.
The field trial has been established with 100% of success in micropropagated plants and 97% in seedlings.
Three months after transfer to the field, plants showed good growth but micropropagated plants of ‘Mulata’ exhibited more vigour than ‘Galhosa’ and than seedlings, with the greatest number of branches and a larger length increase in the main stem.
Before transference to the field, net photosynthetic rates (P_N), water use efficiency (P_N/g_s) and quantum yield of PSII (_PSII) of the potted plants were higher in seedlings than in micropropagated plants.
Three months after transplantation all gas exchange parameters were improved for all types of plants, particularly net photosynthetic rate, and no significant differences were observed between plants either micropropagated or seedlings.
On the other hand, _PSII decreased significantly in seedlings.
The results suggest that the pre-acclimation, in pots, to external environmental conditions might have improved field survival, plant vigour and enhanced the endurance to adverse conditions of micropropagated carob trees.

II International Symposium on Acclimatization and Establishment of Micropropagated Plants

M.L. Osório, J. Osório, M.M. David, A. Romano

photosynthesis, photoinhibition, photochemistry, survival

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2007.748.35