Enhancing Gerbera Micropropagation Efficiency and Genetic Fidelity through Cytokinin and Auxin Combination Strategies

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out to assess the impact of 6-benzyladenine (BA) in conjunction with Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) on gerbera explant establishment under micropropagation. Additionally, the effects of BA, either individually or in combination with Kinetin (KIN), on shoot proliferation in two Gerbera cultivars, namely Kormoran and Dolores was experimented too. Throughout the experiment, various morphological changes were documented occurring during these micropropagation phases and also monitored potential genetic alterations using SSR markers. The studies revealed that the combination of BA and IBA yielded exceptional results, achieving a 100% success rate in explant regeneration within the shortest time frame. Notably, when BA and IBA were applied at lower concentrations, the number of shoots generated was reduced. However, the most substantial proliferation of shoots was observed when the growth medium contained 4 mg of BA and 0.5 mg of IBA per litre. Furthermore, our investigation into genetic fidelity using SSR analysis revealed no detectable polymorphism between the mother plant and the micropropagated plantlets in both the Gerbera cultivars, affirming the reliability of the micropropagation method in preserving genetic consistency.