IN VITRO SHOOT PRODUCTION OF LOWBUSH BLUEBERRY

Abstract

The six most distal buds of lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) from shoots previously developed in tissue culture were transferred to media with 0, 7.5, 15, 22.5 or 30 mg/L 2, 6 (γ,γ-dimethylallyl-amino)-purine (2ip) and 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8 mg/L indoleacetic acid (IAA). The positional origin of the bud explant had little effect on number of shoots and no effect on total length of shoots produced. Shoot number and total length of shoots per tube increased with increasing 2ip concentrations. Increasing IAA concentrations decreased shoot numbers but had no effect on total length of shoots. Shoots were removed from culture after 8 wk and rooted in a peat, vermiculite and perlite medium. Percent rooting increased with increasing 2ip concentration and decreased with increasing IAA concentration in the proliferation medium.Key words: Lowbush blueberry, Vaccinium angustifolium