© 1991 Heron Publishing—Victoria, Canada
In vitro morphogenetic competence of basal sprouts and crown branches of mature chestnut
M. C. Sánchez and A. M. Vieitez
Plant Physiology, CSIC, Apartado 122, 15080 Santiago de Compostela, Spain / Received March 27, 1990
Summary
Basal shoots of five clones of mature chestnut tree (Castanea sativa Mill. and C. sativa × C. crenata Siebold & Zucc.) had a greater capacity for in vitro establishment, multiplication and rooting than crown branches of the
same trees. Cultures from basal shoots were more responsive than crown-derived cultures in terms of in vitro reactivity (proportion
of the explants with shoot development), the mean number of shoots formed per explant, the length of the tallest shoot in
each culture, and the multiplication coefficient (defined as the product of the reactivity and the mean number of shoots per
explant). Multiplication coefficients were greatest between subcultures 6 and 12, but subculturing failed to increase the
rooting potential of shoots of crown origin. Multiplication and rooting rates were also determined for clones derived from
seeds of mature trees. Genotype influenced the in vitro performance of clones of both adult and seedling origins.
