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Title: Modeling the effects of mineral nutrition for improving growth and development of micropropagated red raspberries

Author
item POOTHONG, SUKALYA - Oregon State University
item Reed, Barbara

Submitted to: Scientia Horticulturae
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/28/2014
Publication Date: 12/2/2013
Citation: Poothong, S., Reed, B.M. 2013. Modeling the effects of mineral nutrition for improving growth and development of micropropagated red raspberries. Scientia Horticulturae. 165:132-141.

Interpretive Summary: Tissue culture micropropagation is important for rapid multiplication of a wide range of nursery crops, including red raspberry. The genetic variation of the many red raspberry cultivars makes it difficult to successfully apply one growth medium for all. Although most cultivars will grow on standard growth medium, some display stunting, watersoaking, discoloration, callus, leaf spots, or necrosis. The poor growth symptoms are likely caused by suboptimum concentrations of important mineral salts. This study investigated the effect of five groups of mineral salts. Five red raspberry cultivars were tested with 46 treatments selected from five concentrations each of ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, mesos (calcium, phosphate and magnesium), minor elements and iron. Shoot cultures were grown for three cycles of 3-week transfers before data was taken. Plant quality, multiplication, shoot length and 5 other parameters were evaluated. Results varied by cultivar for some characteristics, but all cultivars had improved growth or appearance with some treatments compared to standard medium. Mesos were significantly the most limiting factor associated with changes in plant quality, multiplication and shoot length in all cultivars. Increasing iron and minors significantly decreased growth and multiplication in most cultivars. Nitrogen effects varied with the cultivar. Future experiments will address optimizing mesos and nitrogen ratios to improve media for development of red raspberry micropropagation.

Technical Abstract: In vitro propagation is important for rapid multiplication of a wide range of nursery crops, including red raspberries. The genetic variation of the many red raspberry cultivars makes it difficult to use one growth medium for all. Although some cultivars grow well on Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium (MS), others display stunting, hyperhydricity, discoloration, callus, leaf spots, or necrosis. This study used response surface methodology (RSM) to determine the effects of MS mineral salts on red raspberry growth and which of these mineral salts are critical for improving growth. In vitro growth of five red raspberry cultivars was determined by varying five factors that included NH4NO3, KNO3, mesos salts (CaCl2, KH2PO4 and MgSO4), minor elements (Zn-Mn-Cu-Co-Mo-B-I), and EDTA-chelated iron. The effects of these five factors on plant quality, multiplication, shoot length leaf size, leaf area, leaf color, callus and leaf spots were determined. The effects varied by cultivar for some characteristics, but all cultivars had improved growth or appearance on some experimental treatments when compared to MS medium. Increased mesos was the most significant factor associated with plant quality, multiplication and shoot length in all cultivars. Increasing iron above MS levels decreased quality in all cultivars except ‘Willamette’. Decreased KNO3 with increased mesos and low iron were required to improve shoot multiplication. Increased NH4NO3 resulted in greater shoot elongation only in ‘Willamette’. Determining the driving mineral factors is the first step in improved medium formulations for micropropagated red raspberries.