Affiliation:
1. Central Siberian Botanical Garden of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Abstract
The present study is aimed at developing a micropropagation system for five intervarietal hybrids of Oxycoccus macrocarpus promising for cultivation in Western Siberia. All studies on the development of in vitro propagation techniques were carried out on the example of the intervarietal hybrid О. macrocarpus Bergman × Pilgrim. Ben Lear × Bergman, Ben Lear × Pilgrim, Pilgrim × Bergman, and Pilgrim × Ben Lear hybrids were propagated in vitro using the technology developed for Bergman × Pilgrim. Seed germination of the hybrids in in vitro culture ranged from 35.29 to 80.00%. At the mass reproduction stage, it was found that concentrations of 2-isopentyl adenine 0–10 μM did not affect the reproduction rate. The tested pH values (4.5–7.5) did not cause the death of Bergman × Pilgrim hybrid, indicating its stability in this pH range. Active root formation on the media with cytokinin (100.0%) was observed, and therefore a separate stage of rooting of microshoots was not required. During the ex vitro adaptation phase, it was found that the use of sphagnum moss as a substrate served as an effective technique. The plant viability was 86.0–93.0%. Significant differences after the adaptation stage were shown: in shoot number between Bergman × Pilgrim (1.21 pcs./shoot) and Ben Lear × Bergman (7.00 pcs./shoot) hybrids, in root length between Bergman × Pilgrim (19.7 mm), Ben Lear × Bergman (39.4 mm) and Pilgrim × Bergman (53.4 mm). The use of in vitro methods for propagation and selection of genotypes is an effective approach and can be applied in programs to obtain intervarietal hybrids of O. macrocarpus.