The Effect of UV-B And UV-C Radiation on Contamination Rate and Shoot Proliferation of Tamban Pineapple Crown Explants (Ananas comosus L. Merr.)

Abstract

This study examines the effect of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) and ultraviolet-C (UV-C) radiation on contamination rate and shoot proliferation of Tamban pineapple crown explant. The experimental design was nested and completely randomized with a separate control. The first factor was the type of UV light, namely UV-B and UV-C. The second factor was the duration of UV light exposure, namely 10, 20, 30, and 40 min. This study was carried out from March to June 2023 at the Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Lambung Mangkurat University, South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Observations were made on the contamination percentage, survival percentage, time of first shoot formation, percentage of explants able to regenerate shoots, and number of shoots. The results showed that UV light treatment decreased the contamination rate. Increasing the duration of UV light exposure decreased the contamination rate, delayed the formation of the first shoot, and affected the number of shoots. UV-B light exposure produced a higher number of shoots than UV-C light. These results suggest that UV-B and UV-C radiation have the potential to optimize surface sterilization protocol and promote somaclonal variation.