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Coffea canephora (BR & C x R clonal parents)
Family
Rubiaceae
Habit
Woody perennial, Small trees and bushes
Relatives
Coffea arabica
Importance of the Species
The species is the source of robusta coffee
Remarks
C. canephora is highly cross pollinated and hence there is a high rate
of variation in the seed progeny. There is a wide scope for attaining
uniformity in robusta plantations through micropropagation.
Area Under Cultivation
About 1.50 lakh ha of C. canephora is grown in India.
Following tissue culture studies were carried out to develop in vitro
multiplication technology for 10 selected clones of robusta coffee ( 5
clones each of BR & CxR cultivars):
Micropropagation
In vitro multiplication of ten selected adult clones of BR and C x R parents
via bud and nodal explants.
Somatic embryogenesis
Clonal multiplication was achieved through somatic embryogenesis in all
the 10 clones.
Nature of explant
Leaf
Mode of regeneration
Somatic embryogenesis.
Media details
- MS + IAA (1 mg/1) + Kn (5 mg/1) for somatic
embryogenesis.
- MS + ABA (1 mg/1) for somatic embryo maturation.
- ½ MS + Kn (0/1 mg/1) for somatic embryo germination.
Shooting /rooting rate
5-10% of somatic embryos could be converted into plantlets.
Total number of plants produced
Around 1500
BR-4, BR-10 and C x R clones hardened in green house.
BR-11 planted and established in the field.
These plants showed good vegetative growth with long shoots and many primary
and secondary branches and thick, broad leaves.
The protocol for microcutting production by apical bud and axillary bud
is to be developed further.
Yet to be done
Microshoot production difficult from mature plants due to contamination,
phenolic oxidation, abscission associated with poor bud break and shoot
development. Multiplication rate varied and poor in few of the clones.
Further refinement of protocols to make them commercially viable. Large
scale field evaluation to ascertain the genetic fidelity of the somatic
embryo derived plants. |
Beverages
