Growth response of sweet kaffir lime ( Citrus hystrix) seeds due to kinetin and coconut water application using tissue culture technique

Abstract

Sweet kaffir lime is one of Aceh's local fruit crops, which is rarely found anymore. The problem of sweet kaffir lime cultivation is the difficulty of generative and vegetative plant propagation. The general objective of this research is to preserve the Acehnese sweet kaffir lime from extinction. One way that can be done is through plant propagation in tissue culture. The experiment was conducted in the Plant Tissue Culture laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Malikussaleh. This research used a two-factor, completely randomized design, and ten replications. Two factors were tried: the concentration of kinetin (0, 1, and 2 mg/L) and the concentration of young coconut water (0, 15, 30 %). The results showed that increasing kinetin concentration could reduce shoot length, number of leaves, root length and slow the root emergence time of sweet kaffir lime in vitro. The best treatment was the 0 mg/L kinetin (without kinetin). Increasing coconut water concentration could increase shoot length, number of leaves, and root length of sweet kaffir lime in vitro. The best treatment was 30% coconut water concentration.