RAPID MICROPROPAGATION OF STRAWBERRY PLANTLETS FROM SEEDS FOR BREEDING PURPOSES

A procedure for rapid propagation of individual strawberry seeds was established, resulting in a large number of identical plants. The purpose of this work was to enhance a breeding program in such a way that several copies of a specific genome become available for horticultural tests soon after the cross has been made.

Germinating seeds proliferated quickly in vitro when placed on Boxus propagation medium and formed tufts with many buds. The buds were transferred to rooting medium and subsequently plantlets were potted and grown in the greenhouse. Plants generated from individual seeds were propagated in the nursery and subsequently grown in the field during the growing season for uniformity tests. Preliminary results did not reveal any variation among plants originated from a single seed. This procedure is being used in our breeding program in those instances when crosses are made between lines of known genetic background.