INVOLVEMENT OF ACTIVATED-CHARCOAL IN THE MODULATION OF ABIOTIC AND BIOTIC ETHYLENE LEVELS IN TISSUE-CULTURES

Activated charcoal in the culture medium improved axillary bud proliferation of lavandin and growth of Anemone seedlings, but it negatively influenced root formation. In Anemone, severe medium browning was prevented by activated charcoal (AC). Abiotic ethylene released by the agarized medium was adsorbed by AC, depending upon the culture vessel and the medium volume. Biotic ethylene produced by lavandin nodes, laying directly on the medium surface, was easily adsorbed by AC. On the contrary, Anemone seedlings, 5 cm long, looked healthier in the presence of AC and evolved higher ethylene levels than the control. Therefore, the positive effect of AC on both species cannot be related to ethylene adsorption but probably to the removal of unidentified inhibitory substances from the culture medium.