Abstract:
Ananas comosus L. Merr (Pineapple) is conventionally
propagated through suckers, slips and ratoons taken from existing
cultivations. These planting materials are not homogeneous and this is a
major difficulty that farmers face in large scale cultivations. In vitro
micropropagated plants offer a possible answer due to their high level of
uniformity. As propagation of Mauritius type, through in vitro meristem
culture is already established, a similar technique for mass propagation of
Kew type (Smooth Cayenne) was compared in this study. Shoots were
proliferated on Murashige and Skoog (1962) liquid and semi-solid media,
supplemented with benzyl amino purine (BAP, 2.5 \imol) and indole acetic
acid (IAA, 1.25 pmol). A higher proliferation was detected in liquid than in
semi-solid media, but was less than that of Mauritius type. Plants were
successfully regenerated on BAP (1.25 \imol) and IAA (1.25 fimol) semi-solid
media. Similar results were observed on Agar (BDH) and unpurified moss
jelly as the solidifying agent, suggesting that agar could be replaced with less
expensive moss jelly. Plants rooted on MS with indole butyric acid (IBA,
1.25 fimol) resumed independent growth after eight weeks of acclimatization
in the green house
