Tissue Culture of Plumeria

Plumeria Tissue Culture
Adult and seedling tissue
William S. Miller Dr. Richard A. Criley

Early Plumeria Studies
• Charles Plumier
• Cuba 1856 – C. Wright
• India 1975: pH of bark cells
Bhaumik et al.
• Hawaii 1991: Stimulating branching
of topped plants using BA.
• Other TC attempts

California studies
• Fall 2002 continuing into 2005:
Surface sterilization.
Media formulation [2, 4-D poor results].
Understanding gasses produced by tissue in
vitro cause “run-away” effect.
Reintroduction techniques.

Acquiring Sterile Adult Tissue
Select newly formed tissue that has no
cracks nor necrotic areas.
Correct
Stage
Topping rooted bases = meristem
development for use in vitro.

I BA + AgNO 3
II BA
III Kinetin
IV Control
Mediums

Culturing Tissue
• Seed: Dry vs. Fresh Pod
• Topping plantlets = additional plantlets

Reintroducing Rooted Tissue
Plumeria tissue readily roots in vitro.
Bagging helps

Reintroduction Cont.
Protected Environmental Conditions

Results
• Benefits of silver nitrate
• Using BA without silver nitrate
• Kinetin

Meristems Produced:
Responses to BA
Elongated Buds
W/AgNO3 -
Start
Start
W/AgNO3 -
After
Mean
SE
After
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8
Number
60 Day Study Period

• Seedling
• Adult
Production Rates
Seedling vs. Adult

Conclusions
• Seedling tissue - Silver nitrate Fei et al.
2000
• Adult tissue
• Indefinite propagation
• Possibility for quickly propagating rare
plumeria species.

Thanks
Dr. Richard A. Criley: Time, patience,
and knowledge.
Dr. Patricia A. Delwiche: Teaching the
basics of how to do it.
Dr. Janice Uchida: Time, patience, and
knowledge.
Bill Olson, Emeritus U.C.C.E.: Time,
patience, and knowledge.