Plant regeneration via callus culture of sea-milkwort (Glaux maritima L.)

A callus-mediated regeneration protocol for sea-milkwort, an endangered coastal plant species in South Korea, is reported here. The explants of in vitro-plantlets generated from a node culture revealed distinguishable responses in callus induction depending on genotype, explant source, light condition, and 2,4-D concentration. Especially, continuous darkness exclusively facilitated callus induction from explants prior to other treatments. The calli initiated on the media with 2,4-D ranging from 0.1 mg/L to 3.0 mg/L in the dark vigorously proliferated when subcultured on the same media in continuous darkness. Given 1.0 mg/L zeatin in addition to darkness to the calli of the 'Pistachio' genotype, normal adventitious shoots were only regenerated from nodular structures that formed earlier from the calli at the frequency of 24.4 percent. Regenerated shoots easily grew into plantlets with roots and green color on a phytohormone-free MS medium under lighted condition, that were used for node culture as plant materials. Node culture effectively multiplied plantlets in accordance with protocol by Bae et al. (2016). Acclimatized plantlet clusters developed mature plant clusters under inland environment, followed by flowering the following April. Results were merged with node culture protocol suggested by Bae et al. (2016), which, as an in vitro propagation system for sea-milkwort, may contribute to natural habitat restoration.