Comparing various methods of seed and embryo culture and charcoal effect in optimizing in vitro culture of Galbanum (Ferula gummosa Boiss.)

Ferula gummosa Boiss. is an endangered plant species of the family Apiaceae and endemic to Iran whose mass production is exposed to serious problems due to being monocarpic and prolonged seed dormancy. The first step to improve this precious medicinal, industrial and economic plant is ability in production of numerous sterile plantlets in order to prepare explants of appropriate vigour. In this survey, in vitro culture of galbanum was performed in MS 1/4 medium by a factorial trial in the form of completely random design including A factor in 2 levels (embryo culture horizontally; and vertically so that half part of the embryo is inside the medium and cotyledons stand upward) and B in 4 levels (containing 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 g/L char-coal) in 3 repeats. Several growth traits were measured during 5 weeks. Seed culture was also studied in 4 medium including distilled water, solid MS 1/4, soil and moist filter paper. Embryo culture ways were resulted in vigorous and numerous plantlets in shorter time, in comparison with seed germination ways. Finally the best option was vertically culture of embryo in MS 1/4 medium containing 0.5 g/L char-coal. Obviously this method will provide the plant with a very similar condition to growth in natural environment.