Polyacrylamide Hydrogel Enriched with Amber for In Vitro Plant Rooting

Area of Science:

• Plant Biotechnology
• Materials Science
• Hydrogels

Background:

• Traditional plant tissue culture media, such as agar, have limitations in supporting optimal plant growth and development.
• There is a need for innovative, safe, and efficient substrates for in vitro plant propagation.
• Amber, a natural resin, possesses properties that may benefit plant growth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a new plant rooting material based on polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAAG) enriched with amber powder.
• To evaluate the biosafety and efficacy of the developed PAAG-amber hydrogel as a substrate for in vitro plant propagation.
• To compare the performance of PAAG-amber with standard agar medium for Cannabis sativa propagation.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of PAAG-amber hydrogel via homophase radical polymerization with ground amber.
• Characterization using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and rheological studies.
• Biosafety assessment using seed viability tests (pea, chickpea) and Daphnia magna acute toxicity tests.
• In vitro propagation of Cannabis sativa on PAAG-amber and agar, with comparative analysis of rooting success and seedling metrics.

Main Results:

• Synthesized PAAG-amber hydrogels exhibited physicochemical and rheological properties comparable to agar.
• PAAG-amber demonstrated biosafety after four washes, showing no adverse effects on seed or Daphnia magna viability.
• PAAG-amber significantly improved Cannabis sativa rooting (98%) compared to agar (95%).
• Seedling metrics were markedly enhanced: root length (+28%), stem length (+26.7%), root weight (+167%), and stem weight (+67%).

Conclusions:

• The developed PAAG-amber hydrogel is a safe and effective alternative to agar for in vitro plant rooting.
• This novel substrate significantly promotes plant rooting and enhances key growth parameters in Cannabis sativa.
• PAAG-amber facilitates faster plant reproduction and increases biomass yield, offering advantages over conventional media.