Early fruit setting from tissue culture-derived mangosteen tree

Abstract

Vitro-plantlets of mangosteen derived from culturing young leaves were acclimatized in 1993. Small and large polybag seedlings were carefully raised under controlled environmental conditions until 1994 when they were ready to be transferred to the field. During this stage, morphological abnormalities of the seedlings were recorded. After transferring to the field for 5-6 years (1994-1999) at Yi Ngo District, Narathiwat Province and Klong Hoi Khong District, Songkhla Province, morphological characters of the plants were again observed in comparison with seed-derived plants. The results showed that tissue culture-derived plants were more bushy and started blooming 5 years after planting while the seed-derived plants still had tall canopy (not bushy) and were not bearing fruit in the same period of time. However, the blooming of cultured plants did not give the fruit setting in the first blooming year. All flowers dropped off completely. Heavy fruit setting was observed in the following year (2000). Tissue culture trees had smaller but healthier leaves whereas seed-derived trees had pale yellowish green leaves. Fruit qualities in terms of total soluble solids (TSS) and total acids (TA) were not much different between the two types of these mangosteen trees.

Keywords

• fruit setting
• tissue culture
• mangosteen