An Efficient Tissue Culture Regeneration System for Georgia Plume, Elliottia racemosa, a Threatened Georgia Endemic

Abstract

Georgia plume, Elliottia racemosa Muhlenb. ex. Elliott, is an extremely rare small tree or shrub endemic to Georgia, which is being severely affected by habitat loss and lack of sexual recruitment. In vitro plant regeneration of Georgia plume has not been previously reported and may be a method for the conservation and propagation of this threatened species. Studies evaluated the effects of sterilization methods, explant types, medium composition, and light environment on plant regeneration. An efficient plant regeneration system was developed in which adventitious shoot buds were induced using young, expanding leaf explants placed on an induction medium supplemented with 10 μm thidiazuron and 5 μm indole-3-acetic acid with Gamborg's B5 salts. Shoot elongation was promoted on a medium with 25 μm (2-isopentenyl) adenine incorporated into Woody Plant Medium. In vitro rooting studies evaluated continuous and pulse auxin treatments and ex vitro rooting trials after KIBA (indole-3-butric acid, potassium salt) dips. A 5-day pulse treatment on 100 or 150 μm indole-3-butyric acid produced ≈90% rooting of shoots with greater shoot and root dry weight than other pulse times. High rooting frequencies were obtained under in vitro and ex vitro conditions with over 85% survival of plantlets transferred to greenhouse conditions. The culture protocol was found to be effective with material collected from mature specimens in the wild from divergent populations. Tissue culture appears to be a promising approach for the propagation and conservation of this rare and threatened plant.