Micropropagation of Oleander (Nerium oleander L.)

Abstract

Successful propagation of Nerium oleander L. (oleander) was achieved by in vitro methods. Shoot cultures were initiated from seedlings of wild-growing plants and from shoot apices of adult plants belonging to the commercial cultivars Splendens Giganteum, Revanche, and Alsace. Axillary shoot breaking from shoot tips excised from these cultures required the presence of either 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) or thidiazuron (TDZ). The higher number of axillary shoots from juvenile material was obtained by culturing shoot tips from BA-pretreated material derived from seedlings on a modified Schenk and Hildebrandt medium (SHM) supplemented with BA or TDZ (average of 3.9 shoots per explant with a mean length of 10.4 mm) and when the media were supplemented with 8.8 μM TDZ (average of 3.5 shoots per explant with a mean length of 7.3 mm) or 4.4 μM BA (average of 3.3 shoots per explant with a mean length of 12.3 mm). Among cultivars, cv. Revanche showed best shoot proliferation rates, especially when explants were cultured on Woody Plant Medium (average of 3.2 shoots per explant with a mean length of 10.2 mm). Adventitious bud differentiation from oleander leaves is also reported. Leaves excised from seedling-derived shoot cultures responded better than those from adult plant-derived shoot cultures (40% versus 5%, respectively). Bud differentiation required the presence of TDZ in the SHM medium, although shoot development was only achieved on transference of explants to media without TDZ but supplemented with BA and indoleacetic acid (IAA) or BA, kinetin, and IAA. Axillary and adventitious shoots were easily rooted (99%) and successfully (95% to 100%) transferred to soil.