Application of aeroponic technologies for adaptation of microclones of berry crops to ex vitro conditions

Abstract

The transfer of plants from in vitro conditions to ex vitro conditions is a key stage in the process of clonal micropropagation. Based on our experiments and data from other researchers, it was found that when transferring microclones to non-sterile conditions, plants experience stress due to significant changes in their growing conditions. To minimize this stress, it is important to create conditions as close as possible to those in the artificial in vitro environment. One promising approach in this direction is aeroponic technologies, which were not previously used for these purposes. The conducted studies have shown that at the final stage of clonal micropropagation, the application of aeroponic technologies enables simultaneous rooting and adaptation of microclones of garden crops. It has been established that the use of aeroponic setups contributes to reducing mortality rates of raspberry and blackberry plants, as well as stimulating the growth of above-ground biomass and the development of root systems of microclones under ex vitro conditions. This ensures the production of high-quality planting material with minimal time and resource expenditure.