Triacontanol-supported micropropagation of woody plants

The effectiveness of triacontanol in the micropropagation of two woody, eco nomically important fruit plant species was investigated. Triacontanol was added to the routine multiplication and rooting media of apple (Malus domes tica cv. JTE-E4) and sour cherry (Cerasus fruticosa cv. Probocskai) rootsto cks at concentrations of 2, 5, 10 and 20 mug/l. It was found to increase th e number of shoots and the fresh weight of apple in the multiplication phas e and to enhance root number and chlorophyll content in the rooting phase. The addition of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) to the media further improved t he effect of triacontanol. A less pronounced effect could be seen in the mu ltiplication phase of sour cherry, although there was an enhancement of sho ot proliferation. In the rooting phase, however, the application of triacon tanol caused a significant increase in the number of roots per plant, and t his effect was further improved when triacontanol was combined with 0.5 mg indole-3-butyric acid/l.