IN VITRO MICROPROPAGATION PROTOCOL AND ACCLIMATIZATION OF COFFEE TREES (Coffea arabica L.)

Abstract

This study was carried out on coffee plants (Coffea arabica L.) during 2009/2010 season. This work was conducted to investigate the effect of different MS medium strengths (Full, ¾ and ½ strength) in starting stage on survival percentage of shoot tip explants, and the effect of different concentrations of benzyl adenine (2.0, 4.0 and 6.0 mg/l) and kinetin (2.0, 4.0 and 6.0 mg/l) on proliferation rate (shoot length, no. of shoots and leaves). In addition to study the effect of different IBA concentrations (1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 mg/L) on rooting (roots no. and length) and growth improvement (plantlets length and leaves no./ plantlets) of coffee plantlets. Also, Plantlets were acclimatized in acclimatization stage for 3 months in different growing media including sand, peat moss, sand : peat moss at 1:1 v/v and sand : peat moss at 1:2 v/v for producing good coffee offshoots. At starting and multiplication stages, significant differences were observed on survival % of explants and proliferation rate as affected by different MS medium strengths and BA or Kinetin treatments. Full strength of MS Medium supplemented with 6 mg/L BA or 6 mg/L kinetin gave the best significant result for survival % of explants and multiplication rate (shoot length, no. of shoots and leaves). At rooting stage, half strength MS medium with IBA (3 mg/L) gave the best significant result for coffee plantlets growth and root formation (length of plantlets and roots and no. of leaves and roots /plantlet). Thereafter, coffee Plantlets were hardened for 3 months during acclimatization stage and found that the growing media including sand : peat moss at 1:2 v/v recorded the best parameters measured in this stage.