Influence of Growth Regulators on Shoot Proliferation in Quercus suber L.

Procedures have been developed to standardize the multiplication stage during mature cork-oak (Quercus suber L.) micropropagation. Axillary and terminal buds were established on Gresshoff and Doy basal medium containing 1 mg I−1 of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). Initiation of cultures was possible all over the year. The effects of BAP, Z, IBA, 1AA and NAA and various nutrient formulae on shoot growth and proliferation was investigated. BAP was more suitable than zeatin. Shoot proliferation and elongation were strongly improved by the combination BAP/IAA in the presence of low salt media, like Gresshoff and Doy or Woody Plant medium. Both rates were significantly increased when a double-phase culture system was used. Shoots have been multiplied for 1 year at the rate of three to four-fold every 4 weeks without any decline of vigour. Rooting was achieved by briefly dipping the basal ends of in vitro regenerated shoots in an IBA concentrated solution. The results here reported constitute a promising step towards large scale in vitro propagation of a species in which conventional vegetative propagation by cuttings is very difficult.