MORPHOGENIC PATTERNS OF PLANTS MICROPROPAGATED IN LIQUID MEDIUM IN SHAKEN FLASKS OR LARGE-SCALE BIOREACTOR CULTURES

ABSTRACT Plant propagation in vitro through axillary and/or adventitious buds is at present labor intensive, which contributes to the high cost of plant production. Liquid cultures used to scale up mass propagation often affect adversely shoot morphogenesis. Abnormal shoot morphogenesis due to continuous submergence and vigorous aeration in the liquid medium results in vitreous shoots which poorly survive transplanting ex vitro. Nephrolepis, Philodendron, and Gladiolus bud explants were cultured in liquid medium in shaken cultures or bioreactors. Ferns propagated in liquid medium in shaken cultures produced meristemoid clusters, while leafy shoots developed in agar. In bioreactors the biomass was two to three times higher than in shaken cultures. Meristemoid clusters separated and inoculated to pretransplanting hardening agar medium developed normal shoots. In Gladiolus, shoot morphogenesis was controlled by the use of growth retardants, which also enhanced bud and protocorm production. In the presence of...