Studies on germination of dormant bud and seed of Elaeagnus mollis under tisssue culturing / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Object To study the factors causing the dormancy of seed and to broaden the scope in the choice of explant for the tissue culture of the rare and near extinct plant Elaeagnus mollis Diels.Methods Dormant buds from one-year old branch collected each month from Autumn to next Spring, and seed of the very year were selected and cultured on basic media with the addition of 6-BA, NAA and GA 3 Results The germination rate of dormant bud follows the regular order of the months when it was taken. Those taken in Autumn declined every month until next Spring, and the nrevived monthly with those taken in March showing the most prosperous germination.The dormant bud can germinate into shoots. When seed was cultured, there are several factors leading to its dormancy hardness of the mesocarp, keratinization of periderm, refractory to water permeation and the presence of certain inhibitory subtances. Seed kernal is rich in nutrition, but susceptible to bacterial infection leading to its decay. But the germination rate was well over 70% which can be cultured to give bacteria free shoots. Conclusion Both dormant buds obtained in March and bacteria free shoots germinated from naked kernal can be used as new sources for the tissue culture of E mollis .