Micropropagation of Hermaphrodite Papayas: Increased Root Induction and Plant Survival during Acclimatization

In Hawaii, the commercial papaya industry is based on cultivars that segregate as females or hermaphrodites. Multiple seedlings are planted and then thinned at flowering to single hermaphrodites each site. The aim of this study was increase propagation efficiency by improving our procedure for micropropagation hermaphrodite plants only. Initially, shoots were multiplied in vented jars M2 medium, a Murashige Skoog formulation containing 0.25 μM 6-benzyladenine (BA) 0.1 α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). At weekly intervals, micropropagated either incubated 4 7 days IBA2 medium 20 indole-3-butyric (IBA) dipped autoclaved rooting powder 0.8% IBA (DIP); then, they placed until root initials small roots visible. After induction both treatments, transferred an vitro ½ MSO 30 g⋅L −1 sucrose vermiculite (VER). treatment produced 467 potted compared 475 DIP treatment; however, average number required from potting rooted not significantly different (IBA2: 52.42 ± 5.65 days; DIP: 51.94 3.61 days). Plants treatments grown wet (500 mL water/300 g medium) damp (120 test effect moisture content plant survival growth after potting. Use rather than resulted higher growth. These results could facilitate more efficient practice growers.