Vences Cuyno Valleser; Jean L Valleser
Abstract
Ethrel®, which contains ethylene, is used as a ripening treatment for fruits. However, there is no available information on its application as an artificial ripening agent for cacao pods. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of the varying ethephon concentrations (0, 1000, 2500, and 5000 ...
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Ethrel®, which contains ethylene, is used as a ripening treatment for fruits. However, there is no available information on its application as an artificial ripening agent for cacao pods. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of the varying ethephon concentrations (0, 1000, 2500, and 5000 ppm) on cacao ripening in a completely randomized design with three replications. Unripe cacao pods containing fully developed embryos were utilized in this study. Cacao pods treated with 5000 ppm ethephon ripened five days earlier than untreated samples. For 1000 to 2500 ppm ethephon treatments, days to ripening were achieved at 3 days after treatment (DAT). Furthermore, by 7 DAT, 100% of cacao pods treated with 2500 to 5000 ppm ethephon had ripened. The control treatment had the lowest percentage of ripened pods (50%) at 7 DAT. Total soluble solids (TSS) and titratable acidity (TA) of ripened cacao pods at 7 DAT were not altered substantially in response to ethephon concentrations. The highest TSS/TA ratio (29.13) was recorded from cacao treated with 2500 ppm ethephon. In contrast, untreated cacao pods had the lowest TSS/TA ratio (23.49). Our findings suggest that ethephon can be used as a plant growth regulator (PGR) for cacao growers to accelerate the ripening of cacao pods.
Mostafa Eshghi Khas; Ahmadreza Abbasifar; Babak ValizadehKaji
Abstract
Tissue culture techniques can be beneficial for quick clonal propagation and production of disease-free plants of purple passion fruit as one of the most important medicinal and ornamental plants. These techniques are essential tools for the production of transgenic plants and high-value phytochemicals. ...
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Tissue culture techniques can be beneficial for quick clonal propagation and production of disease-free plants of purple passion fruit as one of the most important medicinal and ornamental plants. These techniques are essential tools for the production of transgenic plants and high-value phytochemicals. The present study was planned to introduce an efficient in vitro propagation for purple passion fruit(Passiflora edulis Sims.). To do so, the effect of different plant growth regulators was investigated on micropropagation medium of purple passion fruit. For proliferation stage, nodal segments were cultured in media supplemented with various combinations of different plant growth regulators including: BA (0, 2.2, 4.4 and 8.9 μM), TDZ (2.3, 4.5 and 9.1 μM), GA3 (0 and 2.9 μM) and IBA (0 and 0.5 μM). For rooting, shoots with about 1.5 cm long originating from explants were removed and cultured in half-strength MS medium containing different concentrations of auxin-based plant growth regulators including: IAA (0, 1.1, 2.9, 5.7 and 11.4 μM), IBA (1, 2.5, 4.9 and 8.9 μM), and NAA (1.1, 2.7, 5.4, 10.7 μM). For the proliferation stage, the best plant growth regulator combination was 8.9 μM BA+2.9 μM GA3+0.5 μM IBA, resulting in the maximum shoot proliferation, number of shoots per explants, and shoot length. Half-strength MS medium supplemented with 5.4 μM NAA or 8.9 μM IBA was the most effective treatment for the rooting of shoots. Gradual acclimatization of the rooted plantlets was performed and the plantlets were established in the soil successfully. The micropropagated plants did not exhibit any visually detectable variation to their mother plants.
