The hazelnut (Corylus avellana) is one of the most important crops in the Mediterranean basin. The availability of efficient and reliable in vitro propagation could valorize the local genetic resources. Different studies have been carried out for the definition of an efficient hazelnut micropropagation protocol. These have usually been performed on the most important cultivars, but the application of the micropropagation protocol to the minor ones has produced contradictory results and the technique sometimes had less success than the traditional one. The aim of this work was to gather knowledge and additional information on the in vitro performance of some minor cultivars in comparison with the most used for micropropagation. A revised procedure for the specific medium formulation is suggested. The sterilization and culture establishment phases are discussed in detail. The role of zeatin and 6-benzylamminopurine (BA) in shoot proliferation in the Italian traditional cultivars is compared to improve this phase. The rooting stage proves to be one of the most crucial steps in achieving a large-scale commercial application of hazelnut micropropagation.

Cited By (since 1996): 2Export Date: 25 August 2010Source: Scopus