Multiple shoot induction and plant regeneration from axillary buds of Magnolia ‘Vulcan’

Abstract

An efficient protocol for multiple shoot induction and plant regeneration from axillary bud culture of Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ was developed in the present study. Primary shoots were obtained from axillary bud explants cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 1.0 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (BA). To induce multiple shoots effectively, primary shoot tips were cultured on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of BA and zeatin at 0, 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/L. Of these treatments, the MS medium with 0.5 mg/L BA resulted in the highest number of shoots per explant with an average value of 5.9, and it produced the greatest shoot height at 4.8 cm after 12 weeks of culturing. In the rooting of in vitro produced shoots, the greatest percentage of explants forming roots (91.3%), number of roots per explant (9.7), and root length (2.8 cm) were obtained in half-strength MS medium supplemented with 6.0 mg/L indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). Regenerated plantlets were successfully acclimatized and hardened off inside the culture room with 87.5% survival rate. Plants were transferred to a greenhouse with a 97.2% survival rate. The highly efficient shoot multiplication and plant regeneration system reported herein can be used for large-scale clonal propagation of valuable Magnolia species or cultivars.