Successful propagation in vitro of apple rootstock MM106 and influence of phloroglucinol.

Successful in vitro propagation of clonal apple rootstock MM106 was achieved by culturing axillary buds on MS basal medium with BAP (1 mg/L), GA3 (0.5 mg/L) and IBA (0.1 mg/L). Use of liquid medium (LM) in initial cultures reduced phenol exudation to a greater extent and gave maximum sprouting percentage when transferred to solid MS medium. Phloroglucinol (PG) did not enhance sprouting of buds but increased the rate of multiplication when added in the medium. Maximum number of shoots were obtained when MS medium was supplemented with BAP (0.5 mg/L), GA3 (1 mg/L), IBA (0.1 mg/L) and PG (100 mg/L). For rooting, in vitro regenerated shoots were placed in IBA (30 mg/L) for 3 hr and transferred to solidified auxin free medium. Rooting was recorded in about 80% of shoots. Inclusion of PG in rooting medium was not beneficial but shoot cultures grown in its presence gave higher rooting percentage. Rooted plantlets showed about 70% survival rate in potting mixture of sand:soil:perlite (1:1:1).