Establishment of high frequency regeneration via leaf explants of ‘Red Sun’ kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis)

Abstract:

A high efficient in vitro regeneration protocol was developed from leaf explants of the female ‘Red Sun’ kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) and the multiplication coefficient and rooting rate of adventitious buds were also optimized. This method does not require formation of callus tissues which leads to somaclonal variations. The results show that the adventitious buds developing directly from explants tissue were noticed after 30 d of culture. The maximum regeneration frequency of adventitious buds is 100% and 18.67 shoots was observed in each leaf explants when MS medium was supplemented with 3.0 mg/L BA+1.0 mg/L NAA. The optimal culture medium for bud multiplication is MS+2.0 mg/L BA+1.0 mg/L NAA+0.1 mg/L GA3 and the multiplication coefficient reached 8.63. On the rooting medium with 1/2 MS+0.8 mg/L IBA for 15 d, the adventitious plantlets were transferred into matrix perlite supplied with 1/2 MS liquid medium for 15 d and the rooting rate reached 100%. 95 out of 98 plantlets (96.94%) survived acclimatization, producing healthy plants in the greenhouse. Taken together, a highly efficient regeneration method via leaf explants of ‘Red Sun’ kiwifruit was successfully established. This protocol may be useful for micropropagation and genetic transformation studies of ‘Red Sun’ kiwifruit.