In vitro rooting protocol for clonal rootstocks of apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.)

I Manzoor; A Kumar; A S Sundouri; B Dhekale; Neelofar

doi:10.24154/jhs.v21i1.4335

Authors

I Manzoor SKUAST-Kashmir , Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir Author
A Kumar SKUAST-Kashmir , Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir Author
A S Sundouri SKUAST-Kashmir , Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir Author
B Dhekale SKUAST-Kashmir , Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir Author
Neelofar SKUAST-Kashmir , Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24154/jhs.v21i1.4335

Keywords:

Apple, clonal rootstocks, in-vitro, rooting

Abstract

Geneva (G.) apple clonal rootstocks are a novel series known for their super-dwarfing nature, cold hardiness, disease and insect-pest resistance, and resilience to replant disease. This study evaluated the in vitro rooting performance of two specific clonal rootstocks i.e. G.41 and G.214, using 1.5 cm shoot cultures. The microshoots were cultured on full- and half-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) media, as well as Woody Plant Medium (WPM), each supplemented with varying concentrations (1.0–5.0 mg/L) of either NAA or IBA. Among the treatments, half-strength MS medium supplemented with 5.0 mg/L IBA induced the fastest response in the G.41 rootstock, resulting in root initiation at 6.54 days and root emergence at 10.63 days, outperforming G.214. Furthermore, G.41 achieved a perfect 100% rooting rate when grown on half-strength MS medium combined with IBA at 1.0, 3.0, or 5.0 mg/L. The interaction of G.41 with half-strength MS medium containing 5.0 mg/L IBA also yielded the highest number of roots per shoot (17.00), the maximum average root length (82.70 mm), and the longest individual root length (146.13 mm). Ultimately, this optimized protocol offers an efficient, year-round micropropagation strategy to rapidly produce true-to-type, virus-free, and elite clonal apple rootstocks.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

I Manzoor, SKUAST-Kashmir, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir

Professor in Division of Fruit Science
A Kumar, SKUAST-Kashmir, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir

Ph.D Scholar in Division of Fruit Science
A S Sundouri, SKUAST-Kashmir, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir

Professor in Division of Fruit Science
B Dhekale, SKUAST-Kashmir, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir

Assistant Professor, Division of Agricultural Statistics
Neelofar, SKUAST-Kashmir, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir

Professor, Division of Floriculture and Landscaping

References

Ali, A., Ahmad, T., Abbasi, N. A., & Hafiz, I. A. (2009). Effect of different concentrations of auxins on in vitro rooting of olive cultivar ‘Moraiolo’. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 41(3), 1223–1231.

Amiri, E. M., & Elahinia, A. (2011). Influence of medium compositions on growth of apple rootstocks (M.9, M.27, MM.106) in in vitro conditions. Acta Horticulturae, 923, 139–146.

Ana, S., Jelena, R., Marija, M., Iva, P., Ales, P., Ondrej, N., Jutta, L. M., & Branka, S. S. (2024). Application of long-chained auxin conjugates influenced auxin metabolism and transcriptome response in Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(1), Article 447. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25010447

Cummins, J., Aldwinckle, H., Robinson, T., & Fazio, G. (2006). Apple tree rootstock named ‘G.41’ (U.S. Plant Patent No. US PP17,139 P3). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Diengngan, S., & Murthy, B. N. S. (2014). Influence of plant growth promoting substances in micropropagation of strawberry cv. Festival. The Bioscan, 9, 1491–1493.

Fadel, D., Kintzios, S., Economou, A. S., Moschopoulou, G., & Constantinidou, H. A. (2010). Effect of different strength of medium on organogenesis, phenolic accumulation and antioxidant activity of spearmint (Mentha spicata L.). The Open Horticulture Journal, 3, 31–35.

Fallahpour, M., Miri, S. M., & Bouzari, N. (2015). In vitro propagation of ‘Gisela 5’ rootstock as affected by mineral composition of media and plant growth regulators. Journal of Horticultural Research, 23(1), 57–64.

Fazio, G., Cummins, J., Aldwinckle, H. S., & Robinson, T. L. (2013). Apple tree rootstock named ‘G-214’ (U.S. Plant Patent No. US PP23,516 P3). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Food and Agriculture Organization. (2025). FAOSTAT database. https://www.fao.org/faostat/

George, E. F., Hall, M. A., & De Klerk, G. J. (2008). Plant propagation by tissue culture: Vol. 1. The background (3rd ed., pp. 29–64). Springer.

Haddadi, F., Aziz, M. A., Saleh, G., Rashid, A. A., & Kamaladini, H. (2010). Micropropagation of strawberry cv. Camarosa: Prolific shoot regeneration from in vitro shoot tips using thidiazuron with N6-benzylamino-purine. HortScience, 45(3), 453–456. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.45.3.453

Kafle, R., Pandit, S., Aryal, R., Pokhrel, A., Bist, P., & Timilsina, R. H. (2021). Comparing high-density plantation (HDP) system and the conventional plantation system of apple cultivation in Mustang and Manang districts of Nepal. Cogent Food & Agriculture, 7(1), Article 1896118. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2021.1896118

Madhavrai, K., Goyal, R. K., & Godara, R. K. (2014). In vitro multiplication of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) cultivars Ofra and Chandler. International Journal of Basic and Applied Agricultural Research, 12, 208–211.

Magyar, T. K., Dobránszki, J., Jámbor, B. E., Lazányi, J., Szalai, J., & Ferenczy, A. (2002). Effects of indole-3-butyric acid levels and activated charcoal on the rooting of in vitro shoots of apple rootstocks. International Journal of Horticultural Science, 8(3–4), 25–28.

Mir, J. I., Sharma, O. C., Raja, W. H., Sami-Ullah, S., & Raja, R. H. S. (2021). High density plantation in apple—a highly remunerative enterprise. Indian Horticulture, 66(5), 24–26.

Modgil, M., & Thakur, M. (2017). In vitro culture of clonal rootstocks of apple for their commercial exploitation. Acta Horticulturae, 1155, 331–335.

Nag, S., Saha, K., & Choudhuri, M. A. (2001). Role of auxin and polyamines in adventitious root formation in relation to changes in compounds involved in rooting. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation, 20(2), 182–194.

Podwyszyńska, M., & Cieślińska, M. (2017). Rooting shoots of apple varieties and their tetraploids obtained by the in vitro technique. Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Hortorum Cultus, 17(1), 49–62. https://doi.org/10.24326/asphc.2018.1.5

Samanmalie, L. G. I., Rupasinghe, M. D. M. C., & Weerasinghe, P. A. (2019). Tissue culture protocol for production of planting materials of apple by using shoots tip culture. International Research Journal of Advanced Engineering and Science, 4(1), 287–289. https://repository.rjt.ac.lk/handle/123456789/3656

Sharma, N. C., Verma, P., Singh, N., & Babita. (2020). Causes and control measures of apple replant problem. International Journal of Bio-resource and Stress Management, 11(3), 246–257. https://doi.org/10.23910/1.2020.2090

Soni, M., Thakur, M., & Modgil, M. (2011). In vitro multiplication of Merton-793: An apple rootstock suitable for replantation. Indian Journal of Biotechnology, 10, 362–368.

Štefančič, M., Štampar, F., & Osterc, G. (2005). Influence of IAA and IBA on root development and quality of Prunus ‘GiSelA 5’ leafy cuttings. HortScience, 40(7), 2052–2055.

Verma, S., Modgil, M., & Patidar, S. (2021). In vitro screening of apple rootstock MM.106 somaclones with Phytophthora cactorum culture filtrate. Journal of Plant Pathology, 103, 231–240. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42161-020-00722-z