Micropropagation of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Schizandra chinensis</Emphasis> BAILLON using glucose from cotyledonary nodes

A protocol for the micropropagation ofSchizandra chinensis has been developed using regenerated shoots from axillary bud explants. In preparing to do so, we found that seed type (i.e., mature vs. pre-mature) significantly influenced the rate of germination. The Woody Plant (WP) medium proved to be superior to the Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium for germination purposes. Multiple shoots were induced from cotyledonary nodes of axenic seedlings on WP media containing 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) alone or in combination with 1-napthaleneacetic acid (NAA). High frequencies of shoot proliferation and the greatest number of shoots per explant (11.6) were observed with the use of 1.0 mg L^-1 BA. We also established a culture method for proliferating shoots by repeatedly subculturing the original cotyledonary nodes on a shoot multiplication medium each time newly formed shoots were harvested. To induce root formation, glucose was supplied as a carbon-source substitution for sucrose. The best rooting rate was obtained from a WP medium supplemented with 3% glucose and 0.5 mg L^-1 NAA. Following transplantation in the field, 82% of the plantlets survived.