SCREENING MORPHOLOGICAL VARIATION IN MICROPROPAGATED PLANTS OF RHUBARB (RHEUM RHAPONTICUM) DERIVED FROM UNIFORM, ACCLIMATED PLANTLETS

Commercially produced, micropropagated plants of a novel breeding line of rhubarb showed variable and, largely, poor performance during their first field season.
The breeding line had a relatively low DNA content when compared to conventional, related cultivars, to which it is related.
However, there was no significant difference in nuclear DNA amount between conventionally propagated plants, those from a single cycle of micropropagation and those from an intensive, commercial process where many subcultures were performed.
Prior to transplanting to the field the acclimated plants showed a high degree of uniformity with respect to foliage size, development and vigour but had substantial variation in root development.
However, this investigation shows that the root variation did not correlate in a positive way with the subsequent development of aberrant phenotypes after transplanting.
The potential of alternative techniques such as measuring DNA methylation to indicate the potential for aberrant growth behaviour of transplants is suggested.

III International Symposium on Acclimatization and Establishment of Micropropagated Plants

Y. Zhao, B.W.W. Grout, P.C. Crisp

micropropagation, nuclear DNA, flow cytometry, morphological variation

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2009.812.75