In Vitro Rooting and Greenhouse Acclimatization of Veltheimia bracteata and V. capensis Shoots

Abstract

Shoot initiation and multiplication were obtained in vitro from immature flower bud and leaf explants of Veltheimia bracteata Bak. `Lemon Flame' and from leaf explants of V. bracteata `Rosalba' cultured on a Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with sucrose at 30 g•L–1, and either 8.87 μm BA plus 0.54 μm NAA or 8.87 μm BA plus 5.40 μm NAA. Shoot initiation and multiplication was obtained from a single leaf explant of Veltheimia capensis (L.) DC. on MS medium with 8.87 μm BA plus 0.54 μm NAA. Shoots of the three genotypes rooted on subculture to medium with 0.0, 4.14, or 8.29 μm K-IBA or 0.0, 4.46, or 8.92 μm K-NAA. Maximal rooting was 98% for V. bracteata `Lemon Flame', 95% for V. bracteata `Rosalba', and 98% for V. capensis, from medium with 4.46 μm KNAA. Rooted shoots were acclimatized for 3 to 4 weeks. Overall survival percentage was 69% for V. bracteata `Lemon Flame', 65% for V. bracteata `Rosalba', and 83% for V. capensis. Chemical names used: 6-benzyladenine (BA); potassium salt of indole-3-butyric acid (K-IBA); potassium salt of 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (K-NAA); 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA).