BIOCHAR-SUPPORTED IN VITRO CULTURES OF Lavandula officinalis L.

Abstract

Plants are the sources of valuable biomass that are being currently used in many areas. It is important to produce high biomass for efficient commercial production. Amongst the many factors that affect in vitro propagation of plants, changing or enriching the media composition is one of the commonly used techniques in micropropagation of plants. Biochar is a solid product obtained from organic wastes and because of its rich composition, it has many beneficial effects on plants. In our study, Lavandula officinalis plantlets were subjected to two types of biochars (Geocharged biochar and Biorfe biochar) at 0.5 and 2 g/L concentrations and their effects were investigated by means of plant growth, biomass accumulation and biochemical composition. The results showed that 0.5 g/L concentration of biochar had better effects than 2 g/L concentration and except for biochemical composition, biochar type had no significant effect on plant growth and biomass accumulation. Mean root dry weights and multiple shoot formations/explant enhanced up to 3.7 and 4.17 times higher than the control at 0.5 g/L concentration. Explant browning was also detected lower in biochar-applied media. The differences between biochemical accumulations of different media were also found statistically significant. The total concentrations of phenolics and flavonoids and radical scavenging activities were detected lower when biochars were applied. The total antioxidant concentration was higher in the control group. These findings showed that biochars lowered the negative effects of the culture conditions for L. officinalis plantlets.