In vitro direct organogenesis of the Cretan dittany (Origanum dictamnus L.), an important threatened Greek endemic species

Dittany of Crete (Origanum dictamnus L.) is a threatened medicinal-aromatic plant Lamiaceae family which local endemic to the Island Crete, Greece. Its high culinary use and increasing demand in pharma, perfumery, cosmetic food industry along with its overexploitation from natural habitat has this species necessitated large-scale production for industrial exploitations using advanced technologies. Micropropagation considered good tool ex situ conservation endangered reduced populations wild, low germination rates seed production. In study, moderate percentages (40-41.38%) were exhibited seeds after 40 days culture at 21-23 oC MS medium regardless photoperiod regime (16h light/ 8h dark, 24h darkness), without significance difference. proliferation rooting stage, three basal media (MS, WPM, Gamborg B5) tested combination two concentrations 6-benzyladenine (BA) (1.1, 2.2 μM) indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) (0.125, 0.25 μM), all supplemented 0.3 μM gibberellic (GA3), 20 g L-1 sucrose 6 Plant Agar (pH: 5.8). The results showed that + BA IBA was most effective treatment micropropagation shoot nodal explants single stage within 30-day period, exhibiting 85% formation, 1.8 new shoots/ explant 2.8 cm long 3.2 rate, 100% rooting, 16.5 roots/ rooted 2.1 long. Rooted plants obtained vitro enriched gave survival rate on peat: perlite (1:1 v/v) substrate mixture 2 months greenhouse mist. an efficient propagation system O. described first time through optimization direct organogenesis stages (seed germination, proliferation, acclimatization), as means facilitate domestication procedure, ex-situ future sustainable exploitation strategies, thus promoting wider usability significant commercial potential.