Parrotia persica (DC.) C.A.Mey is an ornamental tree native to the Hyrcanian forests in northern Iran. It displays stunning colorful leaves in the autumn and mosaic cream-grey trunks exfoliating in winter. Propagation of Persian ironwood is challenged with numerous difficulties and its habitat is extensively deteriorated. Therefore, it is necessary to study the micropropagation of this plant. Explants were e sterilized with 70% ethanol (0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 seconds) and then immersed in sodium hypochlorite (0, 0.5, 0.75 and 1%) for 10, 15 and 20 minutes. Silver nanoparticles (0, 100, 200 and 400 mg L-1) were also examined. Shoots were cultured on MS or WP medium and BA (0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 1 mg L-1), TDZ (0, 0.022, 0.044, 0.088, 0.176 and 0.352 mg L-1) or combinations of BA (0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 1 mg L-1) with 0.01 mg L-1 IBA were used for shoot proliferation. Rooting was studied by treatments of IBA (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 mg L-1), or NAA (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 mg L-1). The optimum explant sterilization procedure and survival rate was obtained by 70% ethanol (for 120 seconds), 0.75% sodium hypochlorite (for 20 minutes) and 200 mg L-1 silver nanoparticles (for 90 minutes). The best shoot induction was gained in the WP medium supplemented with 0.088 mg L-1 TDZ with maximum shoot number of 3.85. The use of either 1 mg L-1 IBA or 0.5 mg L-1 NAA led to finest rooting performance. Young plantlets were moved to greenhouse conditions and successfully acclimatized in pots containing vermiculite:perlite (1:1)(v/v) with a survival rate of 100%. This study can pave the way for future restoration plans and breeding programs of P. persica. |
