IN VITRO CONSERVATION OF SYNAPHEA STENOLOBA (PROTEACEAE)

Synaphea stenoloba is critically endangered with a limited distribution confined to four small (<1 ha) populations with very low numbers of plants (total number of plants approx. 250). An in vitro conservation approach was adopted to save this plant from vulnerable locations that are prone to weed invasion, spread of disease and other disturbance.
To date twenty-two genotypes from two populations have been successfully established in vitro. Synaphea stenoloba responds well to 1/2 MS shoot proliferation medium with 1 μM kinetin and 1 μM benzylaminopurine with four-fold shoot multiplication after one month.
Shoot quality in this medium was high with a low incidence of shoot hyperhydricity.
Root induction experiments revealed that indole-3-butyric acid and alpha-naphthaleneacetic acid were not necessary for root induction and tended to be detrimental to rooting compared to control treatment (1/2 MS with no auxin). A follow up experiment on the influence of MS basal medium concentration on rooting indicated that 1/4 MS provided the best rooting response with or without auxin.
Embryogenesis is being experimented for greater propagation efficiency.

IX International Protea Research Symposium

E. Bunn, B. Stone, D. Willyams, G. Yan

endangered plant, Australian endemic species, provenance, micro-propagation, restoration

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.869.18