S. Bedi, IN-VITRO SELECTION FOR HIGH-TEMPERATURE TOLERANCE IN CULTURED SHOOT EXPLANTS OF PINUS-CARIBAEA MORELET, Current Science, 65(9), 1993, pp. 710-713
Selection of tolerant plants is the first step towards the production
of plants adapted for growth in stressed environments. An attempt was
made to select heat stress tolerant Pinus caribaea via tissue culture
from explants originating from four provenances. The explant performan
ce was evaluated using data on explant height and extent of leaf necro
sis. The population structure of provenances was markedly altered by s
election pressure imposed by high temperature. At 35 degrees C, variat
ions in growth were significant between explants within a provenance b
ut not between provenances. At 37 degrees C, variation in growth becam
e significant between provenances also. This variation in performance
of provenance explants may be attributed to the native temperature ran
ge experienced by a provenance. An improvement in explant performance
at 37 degrees C was also observed in those provenances which had been
pre-conditioned at 35 degrees C over unconditioned controls.