In vitro establishment and TDZ-induced regeneration from shoot and leaf explants of Rhododendron sichotense Pоjаrk.

Abstract

Rhododendron sichotense Pоjаrk. (Ericaceae) is a winter-hardy species native to the Russian Far East, highly valued as an attractive ornamental woody plant. In order to establish of in vitro culture without the problem with exudation of polyphenols and to induce multiplication from leave and shoot explants of field grown plants, the procedure including the pre-cultivation of explants on hormone free Andersоn Medium (AM0) for 3 days followed by cultivation on AM supplemented with varying thidiazuron (TDZ) concentrations (0.1, 0.5, 1.0 µM) was developed. The elongation on hormone-free AM0 allowed obtaining the healthy shoots without any anomalies. The best response in terms of the regeneration frequency (50 %), the shoot number per explant (41.60 ± 5.25) and the shoot length (12.20 ± 1.04 mm) was achieved under 0.5 µM of TDZ from leaf explants.

Keywords

• adventitious shoot regeneration
• axillary shoot proliferation
• rhododendron sichotense
• thidiazuron