In vitro STORAGE OF SYNTHETIC SEEDS OF Aechmea fasciata

Abstract

This study has focused on the synthetic seed technology of Aechmea fasciata with a particular focus on the carbon source in seed bead. BA was the most effective cytokinin comparing with KN, 2iP or TDZ. It induced the maximum proliferation when used at 3 mg/l. The best morphogenetic response of the plantlets was achieved by culturing the encapsulated buds – for 8 weeks - on cytokinin-free MS medium, on media containing 2 mg/l BA or 1.0 mg/l KN. Encapsulated buds exhibited shoot development on MS medium supplemented with some growth retardants PBZ, ABA and CCC. Adding sucrose to the gel matrix influenced the capsule germination. Buds were encapsulated with 3% sodium alginate where 96.67% of the encapsulated buds were converted to plantlets. The plantlets developed elongated buds in perlite containing sucrose as a carbon source. The highest number of roots was obtained by culturing the in vitro proliferating shoots in MS salts supplemented with 2 mg/l IBA. The plants were successfully transferred to pots in a greenhouse with 97% survival percentage and gave 100% flowering percentage after one year from adaptation grown under controlled conditions. The molecular studies using RAPD technique with five primers proved that, the same dose of conservative material PBZ, ABA and CCC that were used to conserve the encapsulated explants. After the regrowth from plantlets it showed that adding PBZ, ABA and CCC was interaction between the conservative materials and plays an important role in the conservation.