Clonal micropropagation of Satureja montana L. in vitro

Mountain savory (Satureja montana L.) is a valuable essential oil and medicinal plant, the processed products of which are used in medicine as an antimicrobial, antifungal, antispasmodic, antiviral agent, mainly due to the high carvacrol content in the essential oil. For introduction of new highly productive cultivars into production, the use of biotechnological reproduction methods is relevant. The aim of the work is to study the features of explant development at the four main propagation stages and to develop clonal micropropagation protocol using three S. montana cultivars as an example. Culture media were selected for introducing explants (stem segments with 1 node) into in vitro culture for the Argentum and Electrum cultivars (MS medium with 0.5 mg/l kinetin) and the Melchior cultivar (MS with 0.5 mg/l kinetin and GA3). It was established that at the 2nd stage of micropropagation, the maximum multiplication index (4.2–5.6 per subcultivation) for the Electrum and Argentum cultivars were provided by the MS medium with kinetin (0.5 mg/l) and GA3 (0.5 mg/l), and for the Melchior cultivar – by the hormone-free MS medium. When culturing on these media, unlike media with BAP and TDZ, no undesirable vitrification of shoots or callus formation was observed. Genotypic differences were revealed: of the three studied cultivars, higher morphometric parameters and multiplication index were observed in ‘Electrum’. For in vitro rooting, a culture medium of ½ MS with 0.5 mg/l IBA is recommended, on which the rooting frequency reached 93.8%. During ex vitro adaptation, the greatest efficiency was demonstrated when using perlite as a substrate, which ensured the maximum survival rate (up to 88.2%) and plant weight. As a result of the research, a protocol for S. montana clonal micropropagation was developed for the first time, which is intended for the accelerated propagation of valuable samples in breeding and obtaining high-quality planting material for agricultural production.

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