In vitro Propagation of a Commercial Strawberry Cultivar ‘Selva’

Stawberry cv. ‘Selva’ is commercially an important cultivar grown in Himachal Pradesh, India. A highly reproducible protocol was developed for the micropropagation of this cultivar using apical tips and axillary buds as explants isolated from rhizomes. The explants after sterilization treatments were cultured on agar-gelled MS solid medium supplemented with various concentrations of BA keeping the concentration of GA₃ constant (2 mg/L). In vitro formed shoots developed roots on the (MS + BA 2.0 mg/L + GA₃ 2.0 mg/L) shoot multiplication medium without the addition of auxins. In vitro roots and shoots were quite healthy and sturdy. Rooted plants were acclimatized and transferred to field with 100% survival. In the present study, high rate of multiplication, as high as an average of 25.03 in vitro shoots per explants was recorded. The aim of the study is to recommend the feasibility of applying in vitro vegetative bud culture technique, for enhancing the large scale production of Selva-a commercially viable strawberry cuitivar, so that the stock plants can be made available to the growers throughout the year.