Search

Mentha longifolia L. is well-known to be one of the most pervasive wild-growing species of the Lamiaceae family, which has extensive beneficial properties in the fields of pharmacology and biological products. In the present study, the correlation between Inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers and morpho-chemical parameters of twenty different M. longifolia accessions (MLACs) were assessed. The geographic information system (GIS) has been employed to interpret the original habitat of the accessions in Iran. ISSR analysis indicated a remarkable difference in the studied accessions, segregated them into three main groups, constructed by an unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic (UPGMA) and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA). A total of 89 bands were generated by 12 ISSR primers, among which 82 (91.97 %) of them were polymorphic. The cluster analysis based on agro-morphological data scattered MLACs into two main groups. The essential oils (EOs) were analyzed through GC/FID/MS, and four chemotypes were characterized according to the major constituents. Pulegone ranged from 0.17 to 69.50 % was the main oil constituent with the highest content. Also, HPLC-PDA was employed to identify and to quantify the phenolic compounds in the MeOH extracts of MLACs. Heatmap cluster based on phenolic compounds produced three main categories of accessions. The components identified in the extracts were rosmarinic acid, rutin, vanillic acid, ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, and p-coumaric acid, which among them rosmarinic acid (RA) varied from 39.16 to 261.55 mg/100 g (DW) as a predominant constituent. Subsequently, multiple regression analyses between ISSR fragments and morpho-chemical data illustrated considerable relationships in the plant materials. The high variation and correlation observed in metabolic and phenotypic traits of MLACs establish an adequate source to conduct reserves conservation programs.

This chapter includes the methods for tissue and cell culture of saffron. Saffron is a triploid plant, and therefore vegetative reproduction is a common way for its propagation. In traditional culture, few cormlets are produced each year and thus the production rate is low. Tissue culture methods such as micropropagation, somatic embryogenesis, organogenesis, and in vitro cormogenesis are necessary for mass and free pathogen reproduction of this plant. All of these methods are discussed in the preliminary sections of this chapter. Tissue culture techniques can be very effective and useful methods for genetic modification and to produce new varieties of saffron. Protoplast culture to produce somatic hybrids and stigma-like structure culture to produce stigmas and their compounds that are used in saffron tissue culture and also related research is included at the end of this chapter.

The purpose of this investigation is to achieve the procedure of somatic embryogenesis (SE) as an efficient propagation way in four pear cultivars: Natanzi, Ghosi, Williams and Dar Gazi, by focusing on two strategies: One is the application of competent explants, and the other one is stress employment. The results were variable because of cultivars behavior was highly genotype specific. However, the results identified that the highest frequency of embryogenic callus induction was obtained from the endosperm and immature cotyledonary segment explants of P. communis cultivars on Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) containing 8.05 μM 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 13.32 μM N6-benzyladenine (BA) supplemented with 250 mg/L glutamine as a reduced nitrogen source and 30 g/L (w/v) sucrose in Ghosi (75.46%). The optimized media were different for each cultivar in the induction phase, namely, Natanzi and Ghosi in MS, Williams in Schenk and Hildebrandt (SH) and Dar Gazi in Nitsch and Nitsch (NN). Then, it was observed that when embryogenic calli were transferred to the media containing 1% (w/v) Polyethylene glycol (PEG), calli of some cultivars further differed into embryos while other cultivars produced in chilling at 4 °C. Also, maturation of embryos occurred at 4 °C for 4 months. Then passages using MS media caused germination of embryos and plantlets were produced. To sum up, the greatest frequency of embryogenic callus (75.46%) occurred in Ghosi, and the highest embryo maturation and germination (77.06% and 37.66%, respectively in mentioned cultivars) were observed in Natanzi.

Leaves, one year old stems and buds were used as explants. WPM, B5, MS, half and one-fourth strength MS with 2,4-?D, NAA, IBA, IAA and picloram 2, 5 and 10 mg/l were used for callus induction. Investigation into the seasonal effect on callus regeneration and explants browning was carried out in mid-April until September. Results showed that washing with sterile distilled water for one hour after surface sterilization was the best treatment for browning inhibition of explants than other treatments. Leaf explants have best callus formation. MS with 8 g/l agar had strong effect on callus formation. Culture for callus formation in May and June found to be higher than other months. 2,4-D, NAA and 10 mg/l picloram significantly enhanced callus formation. Leaf and bud explants sampling in April to May did not show any endophyte contamination but leaf explants in June until September, specially the one year old stems, showed intensive contamination. Key words: Seasonal effect, Browning inhibitor, Berberis vulgaris D. O. I. 10.3329/ptcb.v21i2.10239 Plant Tissue Cult. & Biotech. 21(2): 161-168, 2011 (December)

This study surveyed a rapid, efficient and reproducible protocol for in vitro shoot regeneration and rooting by different explants and different concentration of BAP. Due to optimization of shoot regeneration, two media including of MS and modified MS (MS salts with double concentration of CaC21, and B5 vitamins), different explants such as decapitated embryo axes, epicotyls and cotyledonary nodes and different concentrations of BAP hormone (1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 and 4 mg L(-1)) in two genotypes (Gachsaran and Flip. 92-12 L) were used. The results showed that modified MS is a suitable medium for in vitro shoot regeneration of lentil. High levels of BAP caused increasing of shoot regeneration in lentil genotypes. Three milligram per liter of BAP induced the highest level of shoot regeneration. In addition, decapitated embryo explants were the best explants for highest shoot regeneration (5.8) (p0.05). However, increasing of hormone concentration from 2 to 3 and 4 mg L(-1) caused decreasing in the number of shoots, so 2 mg L(-1) of BAP was best. For rooting, the in vitro-in vivo method of rooting was better than only in vitro method. The shoots regenerated in 2 mg L(-1) BAP had higher rooting percentage than the shoots were regenerated in 3 and 4 mg L(-1) BAP. These results indicate on the inhibitory effect of high concentration of BAP on root induction. But the genotype didn't have any significant effect on rooting percentage and length of roots.