Enhanced in vitro multiple shoot induction in elite Pakistani guava cultivars for efficient clonal plant multiplication

Abstract

Elite guava (Psidium guajava L.) strains of cv. Safeda were explored in vitro for multiple shoot induction. Shoot induction was enhanced up to 83% with 3.5 to 4.25 shoots per single node cutting and shoot tip explants, respectively, using higher levels of benzyl amino purine (BAP) in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. Enhancing sucrose supplement to 45 gl^-1 improved plant growth and development in shoot and root length and leaf size as well (3.8, 5.6 and 0.6 cm, respectively) compared to 30 gl^-1 of sucrose in the media. Higher root, shoot length and leaf size (6, 8 and 2.8 cm, respectively) was obtained on transplanting multiplied plants in pots containing silt and compost (1:1) compared to compost and sand. The combined effect of BAP and enhanced sucrose in MS medium is suggested to obtain efficient, cost effective, better plant growth and development in guava for year round supply of healthy plant material to growers.

Keywords: Guava, shoot tip, benzyl amino purine (BAP), sucrose, in vitro