OPTIMIZATION OF ALOCASIA AMAZONICA PROLIFERATION THROUGH IN-VITRO CULTURE TECHNIQUE

Excised explants were in-vitro cultured on multiplication medium of Murashige and Skoog (MS). This study was carried away inside the tissue culture lab. Horticulture Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center. Giza, Egypt through the period from 2015 to 2017, to research some factors affecting in-vitro propagation of the indoor ornamental plant Alocasia amazonica using benzyladenine amino purine (BAP) and Kinetin at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 ppm and their interaction. The obtained results indicated that BAP gave the greatest number of shoots, plus the lowest values for shoot length, shoot fresh weight, number regarding roots and total chlorophyll content. Meanwhile, kinetin achieved the highest values for shoot length, shoot fresh weight although it was not necessarily significant. The same was observed in number of leaves, number of roots and total chlorophyll content with no significant difference. MS medium free of hormones demonstrated the greatest number of leaves, number of roots and total chlorophyll content, and the lowest values of number of shoots and shoot length. Using cytokinn at 1 ppm gave the highest shoot length and number of leaves; and the second position for number of shoot and roots. As for 2 ppm of cytokinin application, it gave the greatest values of shoot length, number of leaves and shoot fresh weight, despite the last one was not significant. this concentration got also the other position for number of shoots, 3 ppm had the greatest number of shoots, and the lowest shoot length, number of roots and shoot fresh weight and 4 ppm occupied the second grade concerning number of shoots, and the lowest grades for shoot length, shoot fresh weight, number of leaves, number of roots and total chlorophyll. Regarding the interaction between cytokinin type and concentration found that, the control treatment (Free MS) gave the highest number of leaves. Using BAP at 2 or 3 ppm attained the highest number of shoots. Using Kin at 1 or 2 ppm attained the highest shoots length. Also, Using Kin at 2 ppm attained the highest fresh weight. The application of Kin at 1 ppm was connected with the highest value of number of leaves. The development of roots showed great values on free medium of BAP and Kin as well as medium supplemented with Kin at 1 and 2 ppm. Whereas, root did not demonstrate any presence at higher concentrations of BAP of 2, 3 and 4 ppm. It is usually recommended to use the MS medium supplemented with BAP at 3 ppm which often gave the highest number of shoots. However, the highest values for shoot length, shoot fresh weight and number of roots were recorded on particularly on MS medium supplemented with Kin at 2 ppm.