Propagation of pear rootstock Pyrus communis by tissue culture technique

Abstract

This work was conducted at the biotechnology laboratory, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, throughout the period of2002/04 to provide a reproducible tissue culture techniques for mass production of Pyrus communis rootstock. Nodal segments of Pyrus communis rootstock were sterilized and two experiments (100 mg/L ascorbic acid plus 150 mg/L citric acid with or without 2.5 giL activated charcoal and effect of two periods of incubation 7 and 14 days and two incubation temperatures 5 and 25 °C) were conducted for eliminating browning. Effect of Benzyladenine or kinetin (0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/L), BA (0.5, l and 2 mg/L) with IBA (0.1 and 0.2 mg/L) and MS strengths (half, three quarter and fuJI-strength) on shoot multiplication were studied. Various concentrations of IBA and MS strengths were studied for adventitious root formation. The highest survival percentage and the lowest browning were obtained by culturing the explants on MS medium supplemented with 100 mg/L ascorbic acid plus 150 mg/L citric acid and 2.5 giL activated charcoal and incubated for 7 days at 5 °C. BA was more effective than Kin and 1 mg/L BA + 0.2 mg/L IBA was the best treatment for multiplication. MS medium at half strength supplemented with 2 mg/L IBA was the best medium for rooting of shoots.