Mineral Nutrient Status of Crabapple and Pear Shoots Cultured in Vitro on Varying Concentrations of Three Commercial Agars

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Abstract
Shoot tips of ‘Almey’ crabapple [Malus baccata (L.) Borkh. × M. pumila var. Niedzwetzkyana (Dieck) Schneid.] and ‘Seckel’ pear (Pyrus communis L.) were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 8.8 µm BA. Media were solidified with either Bacto-agar, Phytagar, or TC agar at concentrations varying from 0.3% to 1.2%. Explant nutrient levels were influenced both by agar brand and concentration. The trends in nutrient composition, although not identical, tended to be similar for both genera. Increasing agar concentrations resulted in increased P, Fe, Zn, and Al in the explant and reduced Ca, Mg, and Mn levels. Although striking variations in many elements occur both in agar brands and in explants cultured on media containing similar concentrations of different agar brands, variations in shoot proliferation and growth of explants cannot be explained on the basis of variations in individual elements. From the nutritional standpoint, the alterations in the elemental composition of the basal medium by the addition of specific agars best explain variations induced by different agar brands. Chemical names used: N-(phenylmethyl)-1H-purin-6-amine (BA).

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