Preliminary study on large scale in vitro propagation of Myrtus communis L.

In vitro production of multiple shoots, in vitro and ex vitro rooting and acclimatization were examined. Approximately 3 shootlets/explant were achieved after 4 weeks of culture in MS basic salts supplemented with 3 muM BAP, 0.3 muM GA(3), 0.05 muM NAA, 20% sucrose (w/v) and 0.5% (w/v) agar. The addition of 5.41 muM of NAA and 5.0 muM IBA in MS basic medium resulted in 70% rooting. Rooted shoots were planted in 1:1 peat-perlite under 90%RH. Acclimatization proved to be problematic under a fog system. However, ex vitro rooting was also attempted, 55% of the microcuttings gave rise to new plantlets, after immersion in 2000ppm IBA.