Micropropagation of Ilex aquifolium L.

Two procedures were tested for micropropagation of Ilex aquifolium (English holly), one in which shoots proliferated on solid medium and another one u sing liquid medium. Different growth regulator treatments and supports were analyzed for optimizing in vitro rooting, showing that indolebutyric acid and agar or cellulose plugs gave the best results. The survival percentage of successfully in vitro or ex vitro rooted plants did not differ significa ntly between the beat treatments. However, the efficiency with ex vitro roo ting was 80%, while for in vitro rooting, the final efficiency was 64%. The results show that a correct manipulation of Murashige's stage II of microp ropagation and eliminating or decreasing stage III are useful tools to redu ce the requirements of acclimatization.