In vitro short-term germplasm preservation of Myrtus communis L. [electronic resource].

Includes reference.

Shoot tips were obtained from Myrtus communis tissue cultured shootJets and in vitro preserved either by cryopreservation protocols (through vitrification, encapsulation-dehydration) or by cold preservation (4°C). as well as control storage at culture room conditions, however, nodal stem was involved in dehydration protocol in order to be cryopreserved. Preservation was adopted for 1, 2 and 3 months durations; yet, control treatment was prolonged for one year. Several cryoprotection trials were adopted. involving DMSO and/or PEG and glycerol. prior to vitrification protocol. Cryopreserved explant recovery was tested. as well as shoot/ets regeneration following preservation processes underwent several investigations. Shoot tips precultured on 0.18 M sucrose recorded higher recovered survival. shootlets number, length and leaves number than on a higher concentration and than on mannitol, either for 2 or 4 days. however. vitrification treatment induced no shootlets proliferation. Regenerated shooUets growth characters (survival %, shootlets number and dry weights) induced after preservation under growth chamber conditions (control) for Cine year, recorded the highest observed results. Similarly, chemical composition (chlorophyll a, total chlorophylls. carotenoids, total indoles. total free amino acids, total sugars and indolesJphenols ratio) as well as essential oil content and components were augmented due to preservation under control conditions; however, fresh weight, chlorophyll b, as well as total soluble phenols were low. RAPD analysis proved that preserved shootlets maintained their genetic stability through germplasm preservation methods.

Summary in Arabic.

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