IN VITRO CULTURE OF CHESTNUT (CASTANEA SATIVA MILL.) USING TEMPORARY IMMERSION BIOREACTORS

Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) is difficult to propagate by grafting and cuttings. However, as an alternative to conventional vegetative propagation methods, efforts have been made to establish reliable in vitro regeneration systems that allow clonal propagation. The two major systems are based on embryogenesis and on micropropagation of axillary shoots. The use of temporary immersion bioreactors may provide an efficient and economic tool for mass clonal propagation of chestnut. Seedlings of Castanea sativa were established in vitro and used as the starting material for the experiments. Apical and axillary explants were grown in liquid multiplication media with a composition based on the semi-solid substrates using the temporary immersion bioreactors (TIB), twin flasks system. Apical explants were qualitatively better (longer shoots, higher number of leaves) compared to axillary explants. Duration and frequency of an immersion affected the multiplication rate and quality of plantlets of Castanea sativa.