Open Access

ARTICLE

Protocol for the reduction of costs in habanero chili (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) micropropagation

Jimarez-Montiel MJ¹, A Robledo-Paz¹, VM Ordaz-Chaparro², LI Trejo-Tellez², JC Molina-Moreno¹

1 Posgrado en Recursos Genéticos y Productividad, Colegio de Postgraduados. Km 36.5 Carretera México–Texcoco, Montecillo, Texcoco, Estado de México. México. C.P. 56230.
2 Posgrado en Edafología, Colegio de Postgraduados. Km 36.5 Carretera México–Texcoco, Montecillo, Texcoco, Estado de México. México. C.P. 56230.

Address correspondence to: Prof. Alejandrina Robledo Paz. Fax 52 (595) 9520262, Phone 52 (595) 9520200, e-mail:

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2018, 87(all), 94-104. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2018.87.094

Abstract

An alternative method for improving the production of habanero chili is the tissue culture technique; however, the gelling agent, the high salt and sucrose concentrations used in the culture media raise production costs and limit the adaptation of the regenerated plants to greenhouse or field conditions. In this study, the effect of the substrates perlite-coconut fiber, coconut fiber-volcanic rock, vermiculite-perlite, and perlite-volcanic rock in conjunction with various culture media in in vitro plant regeneration from embryos was evaluated. The differentiation of adventitious shoots on substrates was scarcely observed or non-existent. Inducing the formation of shoots on agar and their development and rooting on substrates allowed to obtain plants. The greatest number of shoots per explant was observed on media with Murashige and Skoog salts (MS) 100%, 15 or 30 g/L sucrose, 4 mg/L benzylaminopurine, 0.3 mg/L indolacetic acid, and vermiculite-perlite or agar. The highest rooting percentages were obtained for treatments that consisted of MS 50%, MS 100% or Arnon and Hoagland salts (H), 15 g/L sucrose, 1 mg/L indole-3-butyric acid, and perlite-volcanic rock, vermiculite-perlite or agar (88-90%). The highest survival rate, number of leaves, plant length, and stem diameter during acclimation were obtained with media containing MS 50%, MS 100% or H salts, 15 g/L sucrose, 1 mg/L indole-3-butyric acid, and vermiculite-perlite, perlite-volcanic-rock or agar. It is feasible to use culture media less concentrated and substrates for the micropropagation of the habanero chili. The protocol developed significantly reduced production costs.

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