In Vitro Propagation by Axillary Shoot Culture and Somatic Embryogenesis of Daucus carota L. subsp. sativus, ‘Polignano’ Landrace, for Biodiversity Conservation Purposes

Carrots are a multi-purpose vegetable; hence, they have become very popular consumers’ choice, also thanks to their nutritional value with health benefits. Several varieties and landraces exist of carrot (Daucus carota L. ssp. sativus). In Apulia (Italy), for example, multicolored landrace is present, the Polignano (PC), threatened by risk genetic erosion. With purpose verifying possibility using in vitro culture ex situ conservation purposes PC, rapid reliable protocol micropropagation highly efficient somatic embryogenesis been set up. For studies, axillary buds from taproot were used as initial explants. Supplementation on basal medium (BM, Murashige–Skoog modified medium) low cytokinine (6-benzyladenine, BA, 0.22 ?M) dosage was enough obtain good multiplication rate, depending PC color. Rooting proliferated shoots occurred easily hormone-free acclimatization successfully reached 6 weeks. Somatic embryos formed embryogenic callus induced sections placed 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)-added medium. After conversion medium, acclimatized. Both microplants produced true-to-type taproots (multicolored carrots), demonstrating suitability techniques biodiversity purposes.