Micropropagation of Myrcianthes Ferreyrae (McVaugh) “Arrayán”: an Endemic Species from Lomas De Atiquipa

Abstract

Myrcianthes ferreyrae is a species endemic to Peru, paleoendemic of Lomas de Atiquipa, and classified as critically endangered. This plant is exposed to strong anthropic pressure, climate change, and limited conservation policies. Therefore, it has been proposed to develop a methodology using biotechnological techniques to facilitate its propagation in vitro. Explants taken from the district of Atiquipa were selected from acclimatized plants from a greenhouse. Explants were disinfected with 15% (v/v) NaOCl (sodium hypochlorite) for 15 min and other group with 0.1% (w/v) HgCl2 (mercury dichloride) for 10 min. For the establishment stage, two culture mediums were used, MS (Murashige and Skoog) and WPM (Woody Plant Medium), with 30 g/L of sucrose and 4g/L of phytagel. Nodal segments from the greenhouse plants were used for the multiplication stage. As WPM was the best culture medium on the establishment stage, four treatments were carried out on this medium supplemented with BAP (6-Benzylaminopurine) in increasing concentrations (1, 2, 4 and, 8 mg/L). The results show a high disinfection efficiency (100%) and no significant difference between both disinfectants. Hence, the least aggressive and toxic disinfectant was chosen. WPM culture medium was determined as the best establishment medium, with a survival rate of 30%. For the multiplication stage, the optimal treatment was 4 mg/L BAP, with an average of 3.67 shoots/node and an average length of 8 mm.