Development and optimization of the method of clonal micropropagation of garden forms of hazelnuts (<i>Corylus sp.</i>)

Abstract

Hazelnuts are an economically important nut crop in the world. Propagation of varietal hazelnut seedlings in the traditional way is expensive and time-consuming due to the need for huge areas for parent plants for cuttings and low level of rooting. The development and implementation of the technology of in vitro clonal micropropagation of hazelnuts is promising. The use of this method contributes to the mass production of homogeneous, infection-free planting material of hazelnuts for laying plantations of parent plants. In the course of our research, we optimized the protocol of clonal micropropagation of three cultivars of hazelnuts. It was found that for the cultivation of the studied cultivars, the most balanced in mineral composition is the DKW medium supplemented with 3.5 mg/l 6-BAP, 1.0 mg/l GA and 0.3 ml/l IAA; modification of the NRM medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/l GA + 1.0 mg/l NAA + 2.0 mg/l IBA effectively promotes rhizogenesis from explants; GA showed a synergistic effect together with NAA on the rooting of hazelnut microshoots, by the 4th week of cultivation, the number of shoots with roots reached 90-100%; in the conditions of a climate chamber using peat with sand substrate (50:50), the efficiency of adaptation to soil conditions was 92% for KAH-29 cultivar, 80% - for Zakataly cultivar, and 36% - for Khachmas cultivar.