IN VITRO SEED GERMINATION AND SEEDLING DEVELOPMENT OF Maackia amurensis RUPR. ЕT MAXIM.

The mature seeds of M. amurensis demonstrate dormancy, which restricted seedling production and propagation of this valuable plant. In the present study, an efficient protocol for rapid multiplication of M. amurensis was developed in vitro culture by using immature seeds, collected from the trees introduced in the Central Siberian Botanical Garden. The highest germination rate of Amur Maackia seeds was exhibited on the ½ Murashige and Skoog (MS) supplemented with 0.5 mg L –1 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) (83.3%). After 3 weeks germinated seeds were transferred to the Woody Plant Medium (WPM) for shoot multiplication. This study demonstrated that all types of the cytokinins added to WPM in the concentration of 0.5 mg L –1 together with 0.3 mg L –1 α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) promoted meristematic activity in the cotylidonary area of M. amurensis seedlings. The most appropriate treatment for multiplication was WPM supplemented with BAP in combination with NAA which provided the best rate of adventitious shoots development (78%), shoot height (7.3 cm) and moreover it promoted direct shoot organogenesis and did not induce callus formation. The elongated shoots rooted in half-strength MS basal salts supplemented with 0.3 mg L –1 NAA. These results could be applied to rapid propagation and conservation of this species, considering that there are few studies in relation to seed germination of M. amurensis in vitro.