In Vitro Conservation and Cryopreservation of Turkish Pistachio Germplasm

Abstract

The most important biotechnological methods that can be applied as a complementary strategy to safeguard pistachio germplasm comprise the use of plant tissue culture systems (organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis) and in vitro conservation strategies which include both slow growth storage and cryopreservation (storage of cells and tissues at ultra low temperatures using liquid nitrogen) techniques. As regards slow growth storage, studies were initially conducted to develop appropriate medium-term conservation techniques with maintaining in vitro cultures of mature Atli and Siirt cultivars on standard culture medium at 4 degrees C in dark for 3, 6, 9 and 12 months in the present study. Moreover, cryopreservation of seeds of Siirt, Kirmizi, and wild type of P. vera L. was also carried out by using dehydration and one-step freezing technique. Our results showed that it was possible to conserve microshoots of pistachio up to 12 months at 4 degrees C without severe loss of viability and regeneration frequency of cryopreserved seeds of pistachio was 26 - 78% germination. As the applied cryogenic technique does not require any specialised equipment, the developed protocol faciliated especially the handling and maintaining of pistachio seeds while ensuring the preservation of pistachio germplasm ad infinitum.