MICROPROPAGATION PROTOCOL OF PAULOWNIA THROUGH IN

VITRO CULTURE TECHNIQUE

Ciorchină Nina, Gorceag Maria, Sofroni Maria, Cristian Cristina, Trofim Mariana
Botanical Garden (Institute) of the ASM

Key words: Paulownia tomentosa, Paulownia elongata, micropropagation, tissue culture

Paulownia is a genus of between 6-17 species of plants in the family Paulowniaceae
(previously in the family Scrophulariaceae). They are native to much of China and have been
naturalized in other parts of the world such as USA and Europe. They are fast growing deciduous
trees, with large leaves arranged in opposite pairs on the stem. The trees are used for re-forestation,
roadside planting and as ornamental trees. It grows well in a wide variety of soil types, notably poor
ones, and yields a multiple-purpose wood, has potential medicinal uses, and because of its wide-
spreading root system may be used for phytoremediation of contaminated soils. The genus is receiving
increasing attention as an extremely fast growing, short-rotation woody crop plant. However, the
potential invasive character of the species growing out of its natural range has recently been pointed
out. The Paulownia tree adapts easily to a wide range of climatic conditions. It grows well with
abundant sunshine and rainfall. In general, Paulownia tree grows well on sandy and clay soils. But
because it adapts so easily, it can grow just as quickly on a wide variety of soils. Paulownia tree can
also adapt to a wide range of temperatures. A high demand for planting material in domestic and
international markets for afforestation and bioenergy. Therefore, the application of biotechnological
approaches for in vitro regeneration and micropropagation techniques of Paulownia have been
encouraging, particularly for supply planting material for forestry. The use of in vitro propagation
techniques provides healthy, homogeneous planting stock for a forestation and woody biomass
production of Paulownia [2].
The aim of this study was to develop an in vitro regeneration effective protocol for
micropropagation of two Paulownia genotypes and study the consecutive micropropagation behaviour
multiplication, rooting, in order to improve plantlets production quantitatively and qualitatively.
The research was conducted in the Embryology and Biotechnology Laboratory in frame of the
Botanical Garden (Institute) of the ASM. As biological material was used two Paulownia species (P.
elongata and P. tomentosa). Explants were collected from tissues of mature plants. The shoot tips and
nodal segments were cut and collected in a beaker containing water to avoid desiccation and then
brought to the laboratory.The shoot tips (15-20 mm length) were surface sterilization the shoots
washed thoroughly under running tap water for 15 minutes, washed with liquid detergent with few
drops of Tween-20 (polyoxyethylene sorbiton monolaurate) and finally rinsed several times in distilled
water then with a solution 0,001%KMnO4 for 15 minutes. After repeated washing with distilled water,
the explants were finally treated with 0.1% diacid for 10 minutes and with 5% H2O2 for 5 minutes in
the laminar air flow cabinet and washed for three times with autoclaved double-distilled water. After
disinfection, the axillary buds were excised and inoculated, one by one, into each test tube[1].
Culture media and growth conditions. Initial explants were cultivated on basal medium MS
100%, supplemented with meta-topolin (0.5 mg/l). For induction of roots well-developed single plants
were put on MS 50%. The subculture period was 45 days in growth chambers with permanent
temperature +25 Co white fluorescent light with intensity 3000 Lux and 16/8 h photoperiod [3].
Following the applied experimental protocol, the studied Paulownia genotypes were
propagated in vitro and significant multiplication was achieved. Application of the propagation
medium with MS and addition of meta-topolina resulted in high proliferation and induced the
development of uniform plants as a prerequisite for effective rooting and quality material production.
Successful in vitro rooting was achieved when plants were cultivated on MS 50%. High average
efficiency of adaptation (96%) was obtained.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1. Atiqur R., Farhana R., In vitro regeneration of Paulownia tomentosa Steud. plants through the induction of adventitious
shoots in explants derived from selected mature trees, by studying the effect of different plant growth regulators.In:
American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 7(4): 2013. 259-268,
2. Joshee, N. Paulownia: A multipurpose tree for rapid lignocellulosic biomass production. In: C. Kole, C. P. Joshi and D.
Shonnard, Eds., Handbook of Bioenergy Crop Plants, Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton, USA. 2012, 671-686
3. Murashige T. & Skoog F. A revised medium for rapid growth and bioassays with tobacco tissue culture. Physiol. Plant,
15: 1962. 473-497.