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Corms as a source of explants for the successful clonal propagation of Crocus cancellatus

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Abstract

The genus Crocus comprises plants with a potential to be developed as a new ornamental crop but to date, there are not many reports on in vitro propagation of many members of this genus. The present study involves in vitro propagation of Crocus cancellatus with ornamental and horticultural value. Two different types of corm explants (apical and basal halves of corms) were cultivated onto Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) medium supplemented with different levels of α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). One to five cormlets emerged from every responding explant through direct organogenesis. Apical halves of corms were more highly responsive than basal halves and produced a maximum multiplication rate with 3.45 ± 0.06 cormlets per explant in 95.33 ± 2.33% of the explants in MS medium supplemented with 3% sucrose and 2 mg L−1 NAA and 1 mg L−1 BAP. The effect of cold storage temperature on in vitro cormlets sprouting was studied. Cormlets stored at 4°C for 8 weeks had more statistically significant positive effects on cormlets sprouting from the controls. In vitro rooting of cormlets was induced on MS medium without plant hormones.

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Author notes

  1. Mahdi Ahouran

    Present address: Faroogh Life Sciences Research Laboratory, No: 96 Parcham St., Tohid Sq., Tehran, Iran

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural Biotechnology Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran

    Mahdi Ahouran & Ramin Hosseini

  2. Department of Tissue culture and Gene Transformation, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran (ABRII), Karaj, Iran

    Reza Zarghami

Authors
  1. Mahdi Ahouran
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  2. Ramin Hosseini
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  3. Reza Zarghami
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Correspondence to Mahdi Ahouran.

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Ahouran, M., Hosseini, R. & Zarghami, R. Corms as a source of explants for the successful clonal propagation of Crocus cancellatus . J. Crop Sci. Biotechnol. 15, 47–51 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12892-011-0113-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12892-011-0113-4

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