In vitro Propagation of the Endangered Medicinal Tree Arbutus andrachne L.

English
Authors: 
Zahra Aljabari, Jawad Alzeer and Rami Arafeh
Conference: 
1st Students Innovation Conference
Abstract: 

The Grecian Strawberry tree, Arbutus andrachne L., Arabic name “Qayqab”, is a medicinal small tree with evergreen foliage grows in Palestine on rocky hills with high pH. In its natural habitats, very limited regeneration of new plants is observed because of difficult seed germination and slow plant growth. As many other wild plants in Palestine, populations of the Grecian Strawberry tree are deteriorating and recently the plant is listed among the endangered species. Plant tissue culture offers a good alternative to propagate difficult and endangered plant species. In the present work, we put an effective micropropagation protocol for conserving A. andrachne plant. Micropropagation protocol was initiated from seeds. Seeds were cold stratified then soaked in GA3 then culture on Lloyd & McCown (WP) plant growth media. High germination percentage was observed (84%) after this treatment. Culturing microshoots on WP media supplemented with 6.0 mg⁄l zeatin gave the highest proliferation results (27.1 shoots/explant). For in vitro rooting, WP media supplemented with 15 g⁄l sucrose and 1.5 mg⁄l IBA gave 100% rooting response with 21.1±5.5. Rooted plantlets gave the highest survival percentage (83%) when acclimatized and transferred to ex vitro conditions. Keywords: Arbutus andrachne, micropropagation, medicinal plats, species conservation.

Type: 
Conference - Paper
Published date: 
Wednesday, June 13, 2012 - 16:45