MICROPROPAGATION OF Philodendron ‘Imperial Red’

Abstract

This study performed the micropropagation procedure of Philodendron 'Imperial Red' derived from in vitro shoot. The results showed that MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg/L benzyl adenine (BA) was suitable for the shoot multiplication stage; the number of newly formed shoots reached 6.50 shoots/explant after six weeks of culture. In the next stage, in vitro shoots were transferred to MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L indole-3-butyric acids (IBA) for rooting. After eight weeks of culture in in vitro conditions, 100% of plantlets were rooted, with the average number of roots reaching 14.55, the length reaching 4.38 cm and the number of leaves reaching 6.83. The plantlets then adapted well when planted in nursery conditions, with a survival rate of 100%, average plant height of 6.80 cm, leaf length of 5.27 cm, leaf width of 2.90 cm and SPAD index of 11.68 after four weeks of planting. The number of stomata and SPAD index of plants at different growing stages were also collected in this study. The number of stomata increases gradually in the order of stages: plants grown in vitro, plants grown in nursery, and plants grown under natural conditions (mature plants). The SPAD index also changed, in increasing order: plants grown in the nursery, plants grown in vitro, and plants grown under natural conditions (mature plants). The obtained results of the study contribute to the development of a micropropagation process for this plant with high propagation coefficient and good quality seedlings, providing seedlings for the floricultural trade in Vietnam.