COMMERCIALLY FEASIBLE PROTOCOL FOR ROOTING AND ACCLIMATIZATION OF MICROPROPAGATED APPLE ROOTSTOCKS

This work was carried out to optimize a successful protocol for shoot rooting and acclimatization of tissue culture raised apple rootstocks of ‘Malling’ series.
Root induction in dark in indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) containing MS medium and root elongation in medium without IBA provided the best results for in vitro rooting.
Among various substrates tested for root elongation, agar was found better than perlite and sand.
However, maximum rooting with good shoot quality was achieved, when liquid medium in place of agar solidified medium was used for root elongation.
Rooted plantlets of about 5 cm long were subsequently transferred to different media for acclimatization.
Plants grown in coco peat showed maximum survival as compared to those grown in soil containing medium.
On the other hand, the in vitro elongated shoots could also be rooted ex vitro successfully in coco peat after inducing root initials in liquid medium in dark for simultaneous ex vitro root elongation and acclimatization.
Nearly 95% hardening was achieved during the months of October to March in comparison to summer and rainy months.
Plants transplanted to the field in March-April established more successfully as compared to rest of the period of the year.
After six months, plants in the field showed satisfactory survival and growth.
These plants were grafted with different varieties.

I International Symposium on Biotechnology of Fruit Species: BIOTECHFRUIT2008

M. Modgil, T. Sharma, M. Thakur

micropropagation, apple rootstocks, Malus × domestica, in vitro rooting, acclimatization

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2009.839.25