Effect of Medium Compositions and Different Culture Conditions on the Physiological Properties and Clonal Micropropagation of Ficus carica L. cv. Sarılop Plant

Abstract

The fig (Ficus carica L.), a crop of significant economic value, necessitates the development of innovative production techniques. This study seeks to establish an optimized protocol for the clonal micropropagation of the ‘Sarılop’ cultivar under in vitro conditions, focusing on determining the ideal medium compositions and environmental conditions (LED-lighting and culture vessel type) to maximize shoot and root regeneration. Various experiments on micropropagation were conducted using different nutrient media, plant growth regulators, and their combinations, as well as varying culture vessels and conditions. The highest mean number of shoots per explant (1.23) was observed in DKW medium. An even higher shoot count per explant (3.2) was recorded using DKW medium supplemented with 2 mg/L BAP and 0.5 mg/L IBA. The greatest mean shoot number occurred under white LED lighting in 265 mL glass jars and Magenta (2.33 and 2.30 respectively). The highest mean leaf lenght was observed under white lighting in Magenta vessel as 0.89 cm. In subculture experiment, node explants were subcultured four times at four-week intervals in 55 mL glass tubes, achieving the highest multiplication rate (3.27) during the third subculture. Subsequently, rooted plantlets (53.33%) were acclimatized with a 70% success rate. Ultimately, DKW medium was identified as the most suitable basal nutrient medium, with 2 mg/L BAP and 0.5 mg/L IBA being the optimal hormone combination for shoot propagation, and Magenta as the preferred culture vessel according to physiological parametres. These findings facilitated the development of a protocol that supports commercial production.