Propagation of Ornamental Plants
10(1): 24-28, 2010
ESTABLISHMENT OF A RAPID IN VITRO PROPAGATION SYSTEM FOR ALOCASIA LONGILOBA MIQ. ‘WATSONIANA’
Lai-Keng Chan* and Yoke Theng Chong
Plant Tissue and Cell Culture Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, University Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia, *Fax: + 604-6565125, *E-mail: lkchan@usm.my or merrilynchan@gmail.com
Abstract
A mass propagation protocol was established for Alocasia longiloba ‘Watsoniana’ via induction of multiple shoot formation using rhizomatous buds as explants. Aseptic bud explants could be established using a double-stage Clorox® disinfection technique. Multiple shoots were induced from the aseptic bud explants on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 2.0 mg l-1 BA and 0.5 mg l-1 IBA, selected as the shoot proliferation medium. When the shoot explants were divided longitudinally into halves and cultured into liquid proliferation medium using the shake flask system, a total of 10 to 12 buds were produced from each whole shoot within four weeks as compared to non-divided shoot explants which produced only 3-4 buds within the same duration. All micro-shoots with at least 2 cm in length produced roots when cultured on MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg l-1 IBA.
Key words: Alocasia longiloba ‘Watsoniana’, conservation, endemic, multiple shoots, shoot proliferation
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