Gelrite and Aerated Condition Enhanced Rooting and Growth of Pine Apple

Bui Vinh, Nguyen Nam and Hoang Tung

Background and Objective: The in vitro development of Ananas sp. can be significantly influenced by the choice of gelling agent and culture conditions. Integrating agar and gelrite with aerated culture systems improves nutrient uptake and reduces physiological stress, enhancing plantlet quality and uniformity. The objective of this study was to optimize micropropagation of Ananas by evaluating the effects of gelling agents and aeration on growth and physiological responses. Materials and Methods: Shoots of 2 cm length were cultured on MS medium supplemented with 30 g/L sucrose and 1 mg/L IBA. Two gelling agents (agar and gelrite) were tested under aerated conditions (with or without filter paper) to assess their effects on rooting, growth and physiological stress parameters. Growth parameters, medium utilization, antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD and CAT), leaf yellowing and hormonal balance (IAA, CK, GA3 and melatonin) were recorded. All treatments were replicated thrice (15 vessels/treatment) and data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2016 and SPSS 20.0 with Duncan’s test at p<0.05. Results: Plantlets grown on gelrite under aerated conditions showed the highest growth, reaching 11.17 cm in height and 2170 mg fresh weight, with 90.16% medium utilization. Restricted aeration caused significant stress, including elevated SOD (189.88 U/g) and CAT (378.37 U/g) activities, 80% leaf yellowing in non-aerated agar treatments, reduced medium consumption (7.54% in non-aerated gelrite) and lower IAA/CK ratios. Aeration stabilized GA3, IAA and melatonin levels, reduced basal callus formation and produced uniform, healthy plantlets. Conclusion: Aerated culture with gelrite as a gelling agent enhances the efficiency of Ananas micropropagation. This method produces high-quality, uniform plantlets suitable for local cultivation and provides a valuable in vitro resource for future research.

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