In vitro mass multiplication of gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii) using capitulum explant

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to develop highly efficient and economically viable protocol for rapid in vitro multiplication of gerbera cv. cabana using capitulum as explant during 2005–07. Among the two stages initially used for culture initiation, capitulum explants cultured at immature stage responded better than the mature stage. Best establishment of immature capitulum explants was obtained on modified MS medium supplemented with 10 mg/l BAP and 1 mg/l IAA. The type and concentration of cytokinin also showed profound effect on proliferation. Better proliferation of quality shoots was obtained on BAP supplemented medium than the medium containing kinetin. The maximum numbers of quality shoots were obtained on MS medium containing 1 mg/l BAP and 0.1 mg/l IAA. Half strength MS medium containing 1 mg/l IBA was optimum for root induction. This protocol can produce 85000– 430312 healthy, true-to-the-type plants per year from a single capitulum. Hence, the above protocol can be of high economic interest to the growers opting tissue culture as commercial venture.