Effect of different plant growth regulators and sodium alginate encapsulation on in vitro regeneration of cistus creticus cotyledon explants

Cistus creticus L. (pink laden), a member of the Cistaceae family naturally found in the flora of Turkey, is one of the plants with high medicinal value due to is phenolic compounds and essential oils. However, there is a lack of information in the scientific literature regarding in vitro regeneration of pink laden. This study was carried out to determine the effect of alginate encapsulation and plant growth regulators on in vitro regeneration of pink laden. Cotyledon internode explants obtained from in vitro germinated pink laden seeds were cultured in MS medium containing different concentrations and combinations of plant growth regulators (BA, NAA and TDZ) with and without sodium alginate encapsulation. The morphological responses of the explants to different plant growth regulators and sodium alginate were analyzed for callus weight, number and length of roots, shoots and leaves. Callus formation and the growth of root, shoot, internode and leaf was observed in cotyledon explants in all treatments tested in the study. Plant growth regulators caused significant differences in all traits, but the effect of alginate encapsulation was significant only in callus weight. Encapsulation the explants with sodium alginate increased the effect of plant growth regulators in all traits except root number and root length. This is the first study on the culture of sodium alginate-encapsulated cotyledon explants of C. creticus in MS medium treated with different plant growth regulators.