Procedural insights on in vitro propagation of Litchi chinensis (sonn.)

Abstract

Systemic problems in litchi have been persistent while propagating litchi plants through in vitro techniques at commercial scale. It has been reported that fungal attacks start on the tip of nodal segments and spread throughout the culture vessels, which revealed the symptoms of an endogenous pathogen because fungal contamination goes beyond the control when they receive highly rich nutrient medium. Here the authors suggest that it is worthwhile to screen for specific antifungal agents; therefore, it is essential to evaluate them before applying several antagonists for their elimination from the culture. We address taxonomic information for in vitro-raised fungi and suggests ways to eliminate such bottlenecks of contamination in litchi tissue cultures. This chapter reports a methodical approach and explains a specific protocol for indexing the endogenous contamination and browning effect of phenolic leaching, henceforth suggesting control measures.