Time Course Study of Ancymidol for Micropropagation of Hosta in a Liquid Culture System

Abstract

The gibberellin biosynthesis inhibitor, ancymidol, was used during micropropagation of Hosta `Blue Vision'. Shoot growth and bud division was monitored every 2 weeks over an 8-week period in media containing 1 μm benzyladenine (BA) and various levels of ancymidol (0, 0.1, 0.32, 1 and 3.2 μm). Ancymidol prolonged bud division from 2 to 6 weeks and increased the total number of buds produced. Shoots grown in medium containing ancymidol had greater fresh weight, shorter-broader leaves and less dry weight than those grown without ancymidol. Reduced dry weight of buds grown in the presence of ancymidol was correlated to the depletion of sugars in the medium. A bioassay using `Saturn' tall rice revealed that ancymidol was active for the entire 8-week culture period.