Micropropagation of the nickel hyperaccumulator, Hybanthus floribundus (Family Violaceae)

Abstract

A protocol for micropropagation of the nickel hyperaccumulator Hybanthus floribundus (Lindley) F. Muell. (Shrub Violet) is described in this paper. Healthy callus was first produced from stem and leaf explants on a medium containing half strength Murashige and Skoog medium with 5 μM N6-benzylaminopurine (BA) and 0.5 μM α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Numerous shoots (>20 shoots per callus) were also successfully grown from callus on this medium. The exposure time of shoots to auxin was critical for successful in vitro rooting. Best rooting efficiency was obtained by transferring shoots to auxin medium (100 μM indole-3-butyric acid) for 24 h and then to a medium without growth regulators (abo..