In vitro culture of lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle )

Abstract

This study was conducted in the plant tissue culture laboratory of the College of Agricultural Studies, Sudan University of Science and Technology with the aim of developing a simple micro-propagation system for lime. The results revealed that shoot apices performed better compared to nodal explants in two media composed of MS (1962) salts and nutrients with varying auxin and cytokinin concentrations. When different concentrations of Benzyl adenine ( BA) and kinetin were added in initiation media, the proliferation of lime cultures was not affected. However, when these cultures were transferred to a unified lime multiplication medium, different multiplication rates were achieved based on the type and concentration of the cytokinin in the initiation media. Preference was for BA at 3 mg/l and kinetin at 5 mg/l. The growth parameters of the in vitro cultures of lime was not affected by supplements of the amino acids L-tyrosine and L-cystiene. Abscission of leaves in the culture vessels after the fourth week was attributed to the accumulation of ethylene. Supplements of either silver nitrate or sodium meta-bisulfite to the culture media counteracted abscission, but the negative impact of silver nitrate on other growth parameters might be due to beyond optimal high dose.