In vitro germination and bulblet and shoot propagation for wild edible Eremurus spectabilis M.Bieb.

Abstract

Eremurus spectabilis M.Bieb is consumed as a vegetable because of its nutritious characteristics. The plants are also used for medicinal purposes, in the cut flower industry as an ornamental geophytes, and in industry as a natural adhesive. The aim of the present study was to improve the in vitro propagation protocol (in vitro germination and bulblet and shoot formation) of E. spectabilis. For this purpose, E. spectabilis seeds were in vitro germinated in four different nutrient media: Murashige and Skoog (MS), Gamborg (B5), White (WH), and Shenk and Hildebrandt (SH). To stimulate bulblet and/or shoot regeneration, hypocotyls of 35-40-day-old in vitro-germinated plantlets were cut into 0.5-1.0 cm pieces, and the resultant explants were cultured in MS media containing 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 mg L-1) + Kinetin (0.5 mg L-1), Thidiazuron (TDZ) (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 mg L-1) + 1-Naphthylacetic acid (NAA) (0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg L-1), and 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 mg L-1) + 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) (0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg L-1). The best outcomes for germination ratio (57.5%) were obtained from the B5 medium. In the third set of in vitro propagation experiments, 100% bulblet formation was achieved in TDZ (0.5 mg L-1) and NAA (0.5 and 0.1 mg L-1) combinations of MS media, and this was followed by 0.5 mg L-1 BAP-containing medium (81.3%). Shoot formation ratios with the same media combinations varied from 60-70%, and the number of shoots per explant varied from 1.4-2.4 shoots. Further in vitro propagation research is planned with larger bulb sizes to develop a protocol for rooting bulblets and/or shoots.

In Vitro Culture of Eremurus spectabilis (Liliaceae), a Rare Ornamental and Medicinal Plant, through Root Explants

“…Since they are capable of initiating cell division, they are involved in the formation of meristems, giving rise to either unorganised tissue or defined organs [42]. BAP, either singly or combined with NAA, has a positive effect on shoot regeneration [22,27,42]. Based on a recent research work [43], it was revealed that the combination of BAP and NAA was a superior treatment for mico-bulb induction in Lily (Lilium longiflorum) explants.…”

“…Hence, shoot proliferation, leaf length, and the concentrations of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids were also significantly affected. Tuncer [22] reported significant differences among MS media containing different combinations of plant growth regulators (p < 0.01) on direct shoot regeneration from hypocotyl explants of E. spectabilis. To our best of knowledge, the data presented here demonstrate a complete and applicable protocol for indirect shoot regeneration in callus cultures of Foxtail lily (Figures 3 and 4).…”

“…The number of leaves and their length are considered essential parameters to describe the leaf biomass and physiological functions in regenerated shoots due to photosynthesis and respiration [48]. Besides the Tuncer report [22], there is no other paper regarding the effects of different explant types and growth regulators on shoot regeneration in Foxtail lilies. The present study revealed that the micropropagation of Foxtail lily through callus culture may be practicable for the mass production of microshoots in this plant species.…”

“…In vitro mass micropropagation techniques have been considered a promising procedure for the multiplication of valuable, hard-to-propagate and endangered wild species [12]. Although in vitro regeneration studies have been performed on many genera from the Liliaceae family, such as Aloe, Lilium, Chlorophytum, Feritillaria, and Scilla [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20], only a few studies have reported on the in vitro regeneration of E. spectabilis worldwide [21,22]. In a recent article [21], the leaf and rhizome explants of E. spectabilis were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) media [23], supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D).…”

“…However, the results showed no in vitro shoot regeneration regardless of explant types. For instance, Tuncer [22] cultured hypocotyls of 35-40-day-old in vitro-germinated seedlings on MS medium containing 2,4-D + kinetin, thidiazuron + NAA, and BAP + 2,4-D to stimulate bulblet and/or shoot regeneration. As such, the optimization of micropropagation methods and the establishment of proper protocols are required for such species.…”