Regeneration of `juvenile' plants of black plum, Syzygium cuminii Skeels, from nodal exp of mature trees

Abstract

Nodal explants, excised from young shoots from mature trees of Syzygium cuminii, were cultured on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of BA or kinetin. Among these, BA (0.5 or 1.0 mg l⁻¹) induced greening and opening of the incipient shoot buds, which however did not elongate. Elongation of the shoot buds was facilitated on MS medium with 1.0 mg l⁻¹ BA supplemented with casein hydrolysate (1.5 g l⁻¹) or glutamine (200 mg l⁻¹). Nodal explants (microcuttings), taken from shoots developed in vitro, also developed multiple shoots when cultured on MS with1 mg l⁻¹ BA. These explants did not require an additional supply of reduced nitrogen, for further normal development. Shoots developed from explants from mature trees and microcuttings were rooted by sub-culturing them on Knop's medium supplemented with 2% sucrose and 1 mg l⁻¹ IAA. The plants that developed in vitro were planted in soil and were transferred to the field after an acclimatization period of 7–8 months. These plants have been thriving well for more than three years and have no apparent phenotypic aberrations.