Use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to reduce weaning stress of micropropagated Baptisia tinctoria (L.) R. Br.

The company, Institut fur Pflanzenkultur, has adapted micropropagation, acclimatization, field cultivation, harvest and post harvest techniques for production of Baptisia tinctoria on a commercial scale. Since, as a consequence of weaning stress, both the rooting rates of some clones as well as the survival rates in the greenhouse can be as low as 60 %, experiments have been carried out in an attempt to alleviate these problems. Best results were achieved with the application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). AMF enhanced the survival rate of in vitro rootless and rooted microplants. The quality of these colonized vitroplants was also significantly improved. The effects of phosphate deficient fertilizing on plant and fungal partner was also investigated.