Micropropagation of mature-male pistachio (Pistacia vera L. cv. atli)

Methods were developed for the in vitro micropropagation of pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) cv. `Atlı? using apical tips from mature (twenty-five year old) trees. Mature shoot tips of `Atlı? were surface sterilised with a 10% sodium hypochloride (commerical bleach) solution for forty minutes. Methods were described for the initiation, proliferation, rooting and acclimatisation of mature apical shoot tips. Cytokinin 6-benzyl aminopurine (BA) was found to be essential for the induction of organogenezis from mature apical shoot tips on a 1/1 MS medium. BA at 0.5 - 2.0 mgl-1 gave the best results for the proliferation of cultures from apical shoot tips among the tested cytokinins (BA, Kin, TDZ). Inclusion of auxins, polyamines and gibberellins as applied to the best cytokinin treatment was not effective for further shoot multiplication. The best rooting (73%) of mature male Pistacia vera regenerated materials which was previously subcultured twenty times on MS basal medium supplemented with 1.0 mgl-1 BA was achieved with explants (four cm long) on 2.0 mgl-1 IBA containing an MS medium. Lower rooting responses were obtained from the regenerated mature material of Pistacia vera L. by using other auxins. İn vitro rooted shoots of mature Pistacia vera materials were successfully aclimatised (95%) in vivo. Results are discussed for cloning strategies of selected male trees. KEYWORDS: Male pistachio, in vitro and micropropagation