Establishment Of Tissue Culture Planting Materials Of Gac (Momordica Cochinchinensis) Using Improved Light Emitting Diodes (Leds) Technology And Silver Nitrate Treatment
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Date
2021-03
Authors
Chew, Hong Lim
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Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
The Gac plant (Momordica cochinchinensis) of the cucurbitaceae family is native to the Southeast Asia region. The fruit has traditionally used as food and medicine due to their high levels of phytonutrients and antioxidants particularly beta-carotene and lycopene. M. cochinchinensis nodal explants used for the establishment of plant tissue culture system. The best plant growth regulator (PGR) for shoot regeneration in nodal segment explants of gac plant obtained by using semi-solid MS medium with 4mg/L BAP resulted an average of 9.2 shoots per explant and an average of 2.247 cm in length after 4 weeks. The best PGR for root induction for nodal segment explants of gac plant obtained by using semi-solid MS medium with 4mg/L IBA resulted an average of 13.2 roots per explant and 4.29cm in length after 4 weeks. After obtaining the optimum PGRs for the growth, gac nodal explants subjected with the treatment of various types of LED spectrums such as white (control), green, far-red, red, blue and purple [blue and red(1:1)] LEDs for duration of 4 weeks. Red LED spectrum displayed the most significant effect on shoot and root induction of gac explants. Explants under red illumination produced the highest average number of shoots which was 13.7 and an average of 2.193 cm in length. Meanwhile, the highest number of roots produced at 16.8 with an average of 1.897 cm in length. In order to monitor any changes or differences between various LED treatments with the optimised PGRs, histology, biochemical and molecular analyses were carried out on M. cochinchinensis plantlets of respective LED spectrum. Histological studies showed that plantlet growth under red LED illumination was the best based on the observations under light microscope followed by purple, far-red and green LED spectrum while the plantlet growth that least affected was by blue LED illumination. Biochemical analysis revealed the chlorophyll contents of plantlets of various LED spectrum where plantlets under purple LED conditions was enhanced, inducing the highest chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll (a + b) and carotenoid content amongst other LED lightings. Antioxidant activities of the plantlets of respective LED treatments were determined based on DPPH assay. Genetic polymorphism was determined using DAMD and ISSR molecular analysis. Utilisation of silver nitrate using various concentrations was used for the induction of hermaphrodite gac plant via ex vitro and in vitro conditions. Hence, it can conclude that 4mg/L BAP and IBA along with red LED spectrum were optimal for the growth of in vitro gac plant. This study demonstrated that the application of LED technology was advantages for the propagation of M. cochinchinensis and could applied to other plants.
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Natural history