In vitro culture and rapid propagation of Ilex asprella Shiqiang Xu1, Xiaobao Ying2, Shike Cai1, Yu Mei1, Jihua Wang1,* 1Key Laboratory for Crops Genetic Improvement of Guangdong, Crops Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China 2Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Wimauma, FL, 33598, USA *Corresponding author e-mail: wangjihua@gdaas.cn
Online published on 23 April, 2020. Abstract Ilex asprella is usually used as the main material for a variety of traditional Chinese medicines and herbal tea. With the destructive excavation of the roots of I. asprella, its wild resources have been drastically reduced and is not available in quantity to meet the current market demand. In order to meet the needs of Chinese medicine market and environmental protection, it is necessary to develop a suitable and rapid micro-propagation technology. In this study, we have established an effective in vitro tissue culture protocol for mass production of I. asprella seedlings. Stems were used as explants and 0.1% mercuric chloride solution treating the explants for 7 min was the best disinfecting method. The optimum medium for induction and proliferation of adventitious buds was developed with modified MS medium with 2.0 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA), 0.1 mg/L 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 0.5 mg/L adenine sulfate (AD). The modified ½ MS medium with 0.5 mg/L NAA, 0.5 mg/L indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 0.5 mg/L activated carbon was suitable for rooting. The method established in this study provides the basis for large-scale propagation I. asprella seedlings to meet the market demand of traditional Chinese medicine. Top Keywords Ilex asprella, tissue culture, rapid propagation, optimized conditions. Top |