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Determining nitrate and ammonium requirements for optimal in vitro response of diverse pear species

  • Micropropagation
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Abstract

Inorganic nitrate (NO3 −) and ammonium (NH4 +) are the two major components in nitrogen (N) nutrition of typical tissue culture growth media, and the total amounts and ratios influence both shoot induction and differentiation. This study was designed to determine the optimal N requirements and interactions of NH4 + × NO3 − to complete the optimization of a pear shoot culture medium. Pyrus communis ‘Horner 51’ and ‘OH × F 87’, P. cordata, P. pyrifolia ‘Sion Szu Mi’, and P. ussuriensis ‘Hang Pa Li’ from the pear germplasm collection of the US Department of Agriculture, National Clonal Germplasm Repository–Corvallis (NCGR) were evaluated. Response surface design was used to create and analyze treatment combinations of NH4 +, K+, and NO3 −. Cultures were evaluated for overall quality, shoot length, multiplication, leaf color and size, leaf spotting and necrosis, and callus production. Significant improvement was observed in multiplication and length for most genotypes. Reduced callus amounts were seen in two genotypes, and greener leaves were also seen in two genotypes. Each species had a distinct response, and the N form could be manipulated to produce longer shoots, more shoots, or less callus. For the best-quality shoots, both P. communis cultivars required high NO3 − and low to moderate NH4 +, P. cordata quality was best with high NO3 − and NH4 +, P. pyrifolia ‘Sion Szu Mi’ quality improved with moderate NO3 − and high NH4 +, and P. ussuriensis ‘Hang Pa Li’ required low NO3 − and high NH4 +. This study illustrates that optimizing the N components of a growth medium is very important when working with diverse plant germplasm.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the NCGR lab personnel for the assistance with data collection. This project was funded by a grant from the Oregon Association of Nurseries and the Oregon Department of Agriculture and by US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service CRIS project 5358-21000-038-00D.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Horticulture, Oregon State University, 4017 Agriculture & Life Science Bldg, Corvallis, OR, 97331-7304, USA

    Sugae Wada

  2. US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, US Horticultural Research Laboratory, 2001 South Rock Road, Ft. Pierce, FL, 34945-3030, USA

    Randall P. Niedz

  3. US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, National Clonal Germplasm Repository, 33447 Peoria Rd., Corvallis, OR, 97333-2521, USA

    Barbara M. Reed

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  1. Sugae Wada
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  2. Randall P. Niedz
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Correspondence to Sugae Wada.

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Editor: John Finer

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Wada, S., Niedz, R.P. & Reed, B.M. Determining nitrate and ammonium requirements for optimal in vitro response of diverse pear species. In Vitro Cell.Dev.Biol.-Plant 51, 19–27 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11627-015-9662-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11627-015-9662-4

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