CO2 and ethylene evolution in the culture vessels during in vitro conservation of olive (cv. Frantoio) at 4 C.

Abstract

The evolution of CO 2 and ethylene in air-tight vessels of olive shoot cultures (cv. Frantoio) was studied during eight-month slow growth storage at 4°C in darkness. While the production of ethylene was negligible during the whole storage period, CO 2 increased rapidly and reached very high concentrations (up to 70000 μl.l - 1 ). A correlation between this strong accumulation and the poor shoot regrowth after conservation at 4°C is hypothesized.