In vitro vegetative propagation of Chinese cabbage

Abstract

Explants from cotyledons, axillary buds, inflorescence stems and flower buds of Brassica campestris ssp. pekinensis (Lour.) Olsson (Chinese cabbage, cv. Wongbok) were cultured on MS medium with growth regulators. Multiple shoots were obtained from cotyledons, axillary buds and flower buds but not from inflorescence stems. Propagation of shoots from cotyledons was more successful than from axillary buds and flower buds. The vegetative propagation rates varied amongst clones derived from cotyledons of the same cultivar and seed lot. The propagation rates of the cotyledon-derived material followed a normal distribution with an average propagation rate of 2.6 shoots per two weeks subculture when cultured on MS media plus 44.4 μm benzyladenine (BA) and 14.8 μm β-indolebutyric acid (IBA). Shoots from three clones were cultured on MS medium with nine different concentrations of BA. The concentration of BA which promoted the highest rate of shoot propagation varied for the three clones and was in the range 44.4 to 177.6 μm.