Micropropagation of Lewisia cotyledon using Axillary Buds from Flower Peduncles

Abstract

Lewisia cotyledon (S. Wats.) B.L. Robins. (Portulacaceae), a perennial native to the mountainous areas of the western US, was micropropagated using the lower axillary buds from flower peduncles. Successful establishment in tissue culture was genotype dependent. Driver Kuniyuki Walnut medium (DKW) supplemented with 3.5 μM 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) appeared to be a better basal medium for increasing and maintaining in vitro rosettes than either Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) or Woody Plant medium (WPM) supplemented with the same BA concentration, but this response was genotype dependent. Placing rosettes on MS medium supplemented with 9.8 μM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) for 12 wk resulted in 100% rooting with an average of 16 roots per rosette. Rooted rosettes were successfully transferred to ex vitro culture and were phenotypically normal. Micropropagation of lewisia will enable growers to produce large numbers of plants rapidly for the home landscape.