In Vitro Propagation of Oriental White Oak Quercus aliena Blume

Abstract

Quercus aliena Blume, also known as the oriental white oak, is a widespread species in temperate forests of East Asia with significant ecological and economical importance. Establishing an efficient vegetative propagation system is important for its germplasm conservation and breeding program. Protocols of micropropagation from shoot tips and nodal segments were investigated in order to produce uniform high-quality seedlings. Nodal segments from 18 month old seedlings were used as explants to initiate the aseptic culture. The highest bud proliferation was achieved by subculturing the explants on 1/2 strength woody plant medium (WPM) with 2.0 mg·L−1 BA. WPM with 0.5 mg·L−1 BA and 0.05 mg·L−1 IBA was the best medium for subculture to obtain the vigorous regenerated shoots in this experiment. Nodal segments without shoot tips had a higher adventitious bud proliferation rate than those with shoot tips. The highest rate (41.5%) of rooting in vitro was induced by using WPM with 1.0 mg·L−1 IBA and 5 g·L−1 activated charcoal. Ex vitro rooting by dipping the proliferated shoots with 500 mg·L−1 IBA solution, then transplanting directly to potting mix with 50% peat and 50% horticultural perlite fostered the highest rooting percentage and survival rate of the plantlets.