CRYOPRESERVATION BY ENCAPSULATION-DEHYDRATION OF EMBRYOGENIC CALLUS OF WILD CROCUS (CROCUS HYEMALIS AND C. MOABITICUS)

The effect of sucrose concentration and dehydration period on survival and regrowth of encapsulated calluses were also studied.
Highest survival (83.3; 88.9%) and regrowth (77.6; 83.3%) rates were obtained when encapsulated unfrozen calluses of Crocus hyemalis and C. moabiticus precultured with 0.1 M sucrose for two days without further air dehydration.
After cryopreservation, the highest survival (55.6; 61.1%) and regrowth (16.7; 27.8%) rates were achieved when calluses of C. hyemalis and C. moabiticus were pretreated with 0.5 M sucrose for two days after two hours of dehydration.
Viability of crocus decreased with increased sucrose concentration and dehydration period.
Dehydration of encapsulated calluses of C. hyemalis and C. moabiticus with silica gel for one hour prior to freezing resulted in maximum rates of survival (77.8; 83.3%) and re-growth (33.3; 72.1%). However, further studies should be initiated to improve regrowth of surviving embryogenic calluses and to study genetic stability after cryopreservation.

VI International Symposium on In Vitro Culture and Horticultural Breeding

R. Shibli, S. Baghdadi, M. Syouf, M. Shatnawi, A. Arabiat, I. Makhadmeh

Crocus, cryopreservation, encapsulation-dehydration, embryogenic callus

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2009.829.28