TISSUE CULTURE AND SALT STRESS IN CHRYSANTHEMUM MORIFOLIUM

A micropropagation method by multiple shoot formation of Chrysanthemum morifolium has been developed. Explants growing in greenhouse were used to establish cultures of C. morifolium. Shoot tips were surface-sterilized and cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) media. Successful in vitro multiplication of chrysanthemum was achieved on MS medium supplemented with 6-benzylamino purine (BAP) at 0.3 mg/L. In vitro rooting was successfully achieved on MS media supplemented with different concentrations of auxin indole-3-butyric-acid (IBA), indole-3-acetic-acid (IAA), or 1-naphthalenean acetic acid (NAA). Growth and physiological traits of chrysanthemum were studied under salt stress in vitro. Salinity was induced by incorporating different NaCl concentrations (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 150, 300 mM) into the media. Shoot length, number of shoots, number of leaves, and fresh and dry weights decreased with elevated salinity concentration. Chlorophyll and carotenoid content decreased with increasing salinity. On the other hand, proline increased with elevated salinity concentration.