In vitro regeneration in olive (Olea europaea L.) cv, 'Frontio' from nodal segments

An efficient and reproducible protocol for plantlet regeneration from nodal segments of Olive cv 'Frontio' has been developed. Media and explants browning due to exudation of phenolics from the explants were controlled by fortification of the medium with 100 mg/L ascorbic acid. Best establishment of olive explants was observed on half-strength MS salts fortified with 2.0 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), which resulted in 56.2% of bud break and 93.7% survival whereas, a combination of full strength MS medium with 1.0 mg/L each of 3-indole-butyric-acid (IBA) and kinetin was found to be the best for shoot multiplication, in terms of number of shoots (3.6 shoots/explant) and shoot length (2.2 cm). The in vitro shoots were rooted on half-strength MS medium fortified with 0.2 mg/L IBA and 0.2 mg/L alpha-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) with 1.5 g/L activated charcoal, which supported optimum rooting (60%), with an average of 2-3 roots/shoot, about 2.4 cm length were produced on four weeks of culture.