Effect of explant length and density on in vitro shoot formation and growth of Pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merr.) cv Moris

Abstract

The effect of explants length (5, 10, 15, 20, 25 mm long shoots) and density (one, two, three, four, five shoots per culture) on the in vitro shoot formation of Moris pineapple were assessed using average shoot formation per explant and total shoots and the frequency of shoots of different shoot length (£ 5; 6-10; 11-15; 16-20; 21-25 and ³ 26 mm long) per one liter of medium. Of all combinations of explants length and density, using of 25 mm long shoots at a density of one per culture resulted in highest shoot formation (8.3 shoots), and at density of three and four resulted in longest shoots (21.7 mm). The highest total shoots per one liter of medium (2800 shoots) obtained when 15 mm long explants were used at a density of four explants per culture. Using of 10 mm long shoots at a density of two per culture resulted in lowest shoot formation (2.7 shoots) and shortest shoots (5 mm long) per explant and lowest total shoots (233 shoots) per liter of medium. Overall explants density, the percentage of shoots of different length £ 5; 6-10; 11-15; 16-20; 21-25 and ³ 26 mm-long per liter of medium were 22.4; 21.9; 22.3; 16.9; 6.6 and 9.3% respectively. To obtain highest shoot formation per explant or ighest total shoots per liter of medium, the according to the length of available shoots.