Micropropagation of the critically endangered Western Australian species,Symonanthus bancroftii (F. Muell.) L. Haegi (Solanaceae)

A micropropagation protocol was developed for the conservation of the critically endangered Western Australian shrub,Symonanthus bancroftii. It was necessary to screen antioxidant treatments to prevent the occurrence of lethal browning of explants upon excision. Potassium citrate and citric acid (0.1% w/v in a 4:1 ratio) prevented oxidative browning and was superior to the untreated control or other antioxidant treatments tested. Half strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 0.5 μM kinetin and 0.25 μM benzyladenine produced three-fold multiplication compared to 1.75×, 1.5×, 1.8× and 1× multiplication for 2.5 μM kinetin + 0.25 μM benzyladenine, 0.5 μM kinetin + 5 μM gibberellic acid, 1 μM kinetin + 3 μM gibberellic acid and half strength MS with no plant growth regulators, over 4 weeks. Root production was achieved with indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) at 0.5/0.5 μM (31% rooting) and 1.0/1.0 μM (36% rooting), after four weeks. Paclobutrazol (PBZ) at 0, 3.4 (1 mg 1⁻¹), 10.2 (3 mg 1⁻¹), or 17 μM (5 mg 1⁻¹) improved tolerance to desiccation after transfer ofin vitro rooted shoots to soil. PBZ at 10.2 μM increased survival to 90% compared to 50% for those plantlets not treated with PBZ. The acclimatisation period from the glasshouse to the shadehouse was 1 week for plantlets treated with PBZ compared to 4 weeks for plantlets without any PBZ. PBZ at 3.4 μM increased the number of roots per shoot compared to untreated controls. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.