Micropropagation of Allanblackia stuhlmannii: Amenability to tissue culture technique

Allanblackia stuhlmannii is an endangered forest tree valued for its edible nut oil. Its limited regenerative potential in the wild hinders the sustainable utilization of its products. To achieve mass production of A. stuhlmannii, its amenability to micropropagation technique was examined. Explants were best surface sterilized at 8% sodium hypochlorite for 10 min and rinsed using sterile distilled water. Of eight basal nutrient media tested, Lloyd and McCown Woody plant medium (WPM) was the most suitable (88.89% explants survival). Microshoots were induced from apical meristems cultured on WPM supplemented with different concentrations of 6-benzyladenine (BAP), kinetin (KN), Dichlorophenoacetic acid (2, 4 - D), Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and Thidiazuron (TDZ), (P < 0.05). All responding explants produced a single microshoot irrespective of the type and concentration of PGRs used. 1.2 mg/lBAP and 1.2 mg/lKIN exhibited the most rapid and consistent shoot length increase (P < 0.05). Prolonged culture or sub culturing did not promote further shoot proliferation. Callus was induced from leaf explants cultured on WPM fortified with Gamborg’s vitamins, 3% sucrose, 1 mg/lKIN combined with 1.2 mg/l 2, 4 - D. No somatic embryos emerged from the callus. The success in explant sterilization and induction of microshoot and callus in this study is a milestone step in the regeneration of A. stuhlmannii.