<i>In vitro</i> establishment of the hybrid rootstock ‘Garfi x Nemared’ (Garnem) for peach

Abstract

The interspecific hybrid between almond and peach, ‘Garfield x Nemared’ (Prunus dulcis (Mill) D.A.Webb x Prunus persica (L.) Batsch.) has become very important as rootstocks for peach in Bolivia, but propagation by traditional methods of this hybrid has been very difficult. In the present study the aim was to in vitro establishment of this hybrid. As initial explants, nodal segments from mother plants, growing under controlled culture conditions, were used. For disinfection two concentrations of sodium hypochlorite (0.5 and 0.75%) and time (10 and 12 min) were tested. The greatest percentage of establishment was achieved using 0.75% NaClO for 12 min in an MS culture medium free of growth regulators. A 100% control of the phenols oxidation was achieved with the combination of mother plants growing under 50% shade, young buds, use of 150 mg l-1 citric acid at the end of the disinfection process and into the culture medium and then place the test tubes with the nodal segments one week in the dark. Keywords: interspecific hybrid, Prunus, tissue culture