Determination of the best culture medium for micropropagation of old Abarkooh cypress plant (Cupressus semprvirens var. horizontalis)

This study was conducted to preserve the genetic reserve and proliferation of old cypress of Abarkooh, (Cupressus semprvirens var. horizontalis Mill.) in Iran via tissue culture method. In this research, the effect of different culture media including WPM (woody plant medium), modified WPM, LS, SH and QL supplemented with Benzyl-adenine (BA) at different concentrations (0, 0.01 and 1 mg/l) at establishment stage and 0, 1, 1.5, 2 and 5 mg/l at proliferation phase were investigated through in vitro cultivation of this plant. Rooting was studied by two

in vitro and in vivo culture conditions. For in vivo culture method, three ratios of coccopeat and perlite containing 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 were used. After treatment of the end of in vitro cutting explants with four concentrations of IBA (1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 mg/l), cutting clones were cultured in the prepared media. Under in vitro culture conditions, explants were cultured in WPM medium supplemented by different concentrations of IBA (1, 2 and 5 mg/l) for root production. According to the results obtained at both phases of establishment and proliferation, the highest length of explants was obtained in WPM medium. In the proliferation phase, the maximum number of shoots was obtained in LS medium that had no significant differences with WPM and modified WPM media. By increasing the BA concentration, the number and length of shoots significantly increased. The maximum number and length of shoots were obtained at 5 and 2 mg/l BA, respectively. Only explants in WPM medium containing 5 mg/l IBA were successfully rooted.