In Vitro Propagation of Easter Island <i>Curcuma longa</i> from Rhizome Explants Using Temporary Immersion System
María José Marchant,
Paula Molina,
Miriam Montecinos,
Leda Guzmán,
Cristobal Balada,
Claudia Fassio,
Mónica Castro
Affiliations
María José Marchant
Laboratorio de Biomedicina y Biocatálisis, Instituto de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Avenida Universidad 330, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
Paula Molina
Laboratorio de Propagación, Escuela de Agronomía, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas y de los Alimentos, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, La Palma S/N, Quillota 2260000, Chile
Miriam Montecinos
Laboratorio de Propagación, Escuela de Agronomía, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas y de los Alimentos, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, La Palma S/N, Quillota 2260000, Chile
Leda Guzmán
Laboratorio de Biomedicina y Biocatálisis, Instituto de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Avenida Universidad 330, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
Cristobal Balada
Laboratorio de Biomedicina y Biocatálisis, Instituto de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Avenida Universidad 330, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
Claudia Fassio
Laboratorio de Propagación, Escuela de Agronomía, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas y de los Alimentos, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, La Palma S/N, Quillota 2260000, Chile
Mónica Castro
Laboratorio de Propagación, Escuela de Agronomía, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas y de los Alimentos, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, La Palma S/N, Quillota 2260000, Chile
Curcuma longa (C. longa) is widely known for its medicinal properties. However, the potential overexploitation of this plant raises doubts about its long-term survival on Rapa Nui. Micropropagation using a temporary immersion system (TIS) could be the basis for developing a cost-effective and highly productive method of large-scale cultivation of this plant. Our objective was to develop and refine the in vitro multiplication system for mass propagation of C. longa, and thus help restore the fragile ecosystem of Rapa Nui. Three parameters were evaluated: number of explants per flask, flask capacity, and LEDs spectrum. For each parameter evaluated, four aspects were analyzed: fresh weight per plant, number of shoots, percentage of non-sprouting explants, and the proliferation rate. The use of 30 explants per two-liter flask results in more plants with high fresh biomass than other configurations. In addition, LEDs with a red:blue ratio of 2:1 provided the best lighting conditions for in vitro propagation and positively affected C. longa proliferation and rooting. Therefore, our results show that 30 explants per two-liter flask and an LED source with a red:blue ratio of 2:1 allow a higher number of C. longa plants to be obtained using TIS.