In vitro and ex vivo vegetative propagation and cytokinin profiles of Sceletium tortuosum (L.) N. E. Br.: a South African medicinal plant

0549884 - ÚEB 2022 RIV NL eng J - Journal Article
Sreekissoon, A. - Plačková, Lenka - Doležal, Karel - Finnie, J.F. - Van Staden, J.
In vitro and ex vivo vegetative propagation and cytokinin profiles of Sceletium tortuosum (L.) N. E. Br.: a South African medicinal plant.
Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture. Roč. 145, č. 1 (2021), s. 191-202. ISSN 0167-6857. E-ISSN 1573-5044
Institutional support: RVO:61389030
Keywords : Cuttings * Cytokinin analysis * Medicinal plant * Sceletium tortuosum * Tissue culture * Vegetative propagation
OECD category: Plant sciences, botany
Impact factor: 2.726, year: 2021
Method of publishing: Open access
http://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-020-02001-2

Sceletium tortuosum is a South African protected species with tremendous value in traditional and modern medicine. The plants’ mesembrine-type alkaloids are potential therapeutics for a plethora of psychological, neurological and inflammatory disorders. In our in vitro and ex vivo studies, vegetative propagation and growth of this species were investigated. Cytokinin (CK) profiles were also explored. Shoot multiplication was induced on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 2.5 µM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). In vitro-generated shoots were inoculated on MS medium supplemented with 0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 µM IBA or indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Optimal rooting (55%), mean number of roots (3.80 ± 0.83) and new leaf pairs (4.65 ± 0.67) were achieved by 10.0 µM IBA. After greenhouse acclimatization, 45–90% of plantlets survived. All ex vivo shoot cuttings rooted well (90–100%). The highest mean number of roots (11.20 ± 1.37) and root length (57.18 ± 3.85 mm) were obtained by 5.0 µM IBA. Although spontaneous rooting was observed in both experiments, auxins enhanced multiple growth parameters. Cytokinin analyses of tissue-cultured (auxin-treated) and greenhouse (untreated) plants revealed higher cytokinin levels in vitro. These investigations provide rapid and efficient propagation techniques for Sceletium tortuosum which will be valuable to conservationists and pharmaceutical companies.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0325775