MICROPROPAGATION OF QUERCUS EUBOICA PAP., A RARE ENDEMIC OAK SPECIES IN GREECE

Quercus euboica Pap., is a rare, endangered oak species, endemic in the Greek island Euboia. The species can be used as an ornamental plant in urban and suburban landscape. Its drought tolerance and capability to sprout again after fire and grazing makes it a desired species for reforestation in Mediterranean climates. A micropropagation method for the species was developed. Woody Plant Medium salts (WPM), with 100 mg/L myoinositol, 1 mg/L thiamine, 0.5 mg/L pyridoxine, 0.5 mg/L nicotinic acid and 3% sucrose was used as basal medium. The highest shoot multiplication rate was taken from one year old seedlings on basal medium supplemented with 1 mg/L BA. Seasonable influence of explants collection on establishment was observed; explants collected in beginning of May gave the highest multiplication rate compared to explants collected in July and September. IBA at 2 mg/L applied in the culture medium during the first week of culture followed by culture in hormone-free medium gave the best rooting results. Basal immersion of microshoots in IBA dense solutions, for various periods of time, followed by culture in vitro on WPM or ex vitro in soil, did not improve rooting in comparison to IBA added to the medium. Plantlets acclimatized at a higher percentage and had more vigorous growth in soil from the natural environment of the species than in a compost-perlite (2:1 v/v) medium.