Effects of reduced humidity and antitranspirants in acclimatizing micropropagated Citrus plantlets.

B.N. Hazarika and V.A. Parthasarathy

Biotechnology Laboratory, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam - 793 103, Meghalaya, India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2002.v04i01.09

Key words: 8 hydroxyquinoline, acclimatization, antitranspirants, chemical composition, daminozide, humidity, in vitro culture, in vitro regeneration, mandarins, micropropagation, plant composition, roots, shoots, silica gel, survival, tissue culture, water content
Abstract: Microshoots approximately 2.0-2.5 cm long obtained from in vitro cultures of C. reticulata, C. nobilis x C. deliciosa, C. volkameriana and C. reshni were subjected to reduced humidity treatment with silica gel (8 mg), alar [daminozide] (1 or 2 mg/litre) and 8-hydroxyquinoline (1 or 2 mg/litre). After 4 weeks, the plants were transferred to polyethylene bags containing soil and farmyard manure at 1:1. Plant survival was evaluated after 1 week. The application of silica gel adversely affected ex vitro survival. The values of shoot and root growth parameters were lowest under silica gel treatment and highest under the control. Alar and 8-hydroxyquinoline enhanced most of the root and shoot growth parameters. Plant weight was greatest in C. nobilis x C. deliciosa (293.53 mg) and lowest in C. reshni (280.45 mg). Shoot length ranged from 2.8 cm in C. reshni to 3.2 cm in C. reticulata and C. volkameriana. Leaf weight was greatest (30.46 mg) in C. volkameriana. The application of 2 mg 8-hydroxyquinoline/litre was eff



Journal of Applied Horticulture