biologia plantarum

Biologia plantarum 55:370-374, 2011 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-011-0057-z

Effect of vessel type and growth regulators on micropropagation of Capsicum annuum

M. A.-H. Mohamed^1,2,*, A. A. Alsadon¹

¹ Department of Plant Production, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

² Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Minia University, Minia, Egypt

Leaves from 14-d-old Capsicum annuum L. cv. Anaheim seedlings were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing different combinations of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 6-benzyladenine (BA). After 3 months, cultures were transferred to new medium where BA was replaced with 9 μM isopentenyladenine (2iP) to enhance the growth of shoot buds. Developing shoots were elongated and rooted on MS medium enriched with 9 μM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). All cultures were maintained in 250 cm³ baby jars covered with a clear polypropylene lid with or without microporous polypropylene membrane. Vessel type and plant growth regulators significantly affected callus morphogenic appearance, organogenesis and in vitro plantlet growth. Ventilated vessels supported photomixotrophic culture and improved regeneration and growth of plantlets. Higher plantlet dry mass and content of photosynthetic pigments, and lower stomatal density of plantlets grown in ventilated than in non-ventilated vessels facilitated ex vitro acclimation and growth.

Keywords: callus; chlorophylls; in vitro growth; pepper; regeneration; stomata; total soluble sugar content; ventilation

Received: December 6, 2009; Accepted: March 31, 2010; Published: June 1, 2011  Show citation