Cryopreservation of Christmas bush (ceratopetalum gummiferum Ms.) by encapsulation-dehydration methods

Abstract

Shoot tips of Christmas bush (Ceratopetalum gummiferum Ms.) derived from in vitro cultures were successfully cryopreserved by the encapsulation-dehydration method. The excised shoot tips were placed for 1 day on hormone free Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with 0.3 M sucrose. After encapsulation, the beads were precultured on MS liquid medium with 0.5-0.75 M sucrose on the agitator shaker. Beads containing the shoot tips were then dehydrated in the Laminar Air Flow cabinet before being preserved in liquid nitrogen. Our result gives us an easy protocol to preserve in vitro propagated Christmas bush.