Abstract Detail

Conservation Biology

Winkeljohn, Max [1], Pence, Valerie [2], Culley, Theresa [3].

The Effects of Silver Thiosulfate on In Vitro Survival of Oak Shoots.

Oaks (Quercus spp.) are an iconic group of trees in need of conservation, with some assessments estimating that up to 50% of oak species are of conservation concern, as determined by IUCN standards. The use of tissue culture has gained momentum in recent years as a potential method to conserve species like oaks for which other approaches, such as seed banking, are not an option. Initiating in vitro tissue cultures typically involves collecting juvenile shoot tips during the spring, sterilizing the material, and placing the shoot on a growth medium containing some combination of hormones and nutrients. However, for less prolific species, or for species that are in need of conservation, material may need to be collected from mature individuals, which presents an additional set of challenges. Material collected from mature trees does not initiate growth in culture as well as material collected from seedlings, and as a result shoot survival in vitro may not be sufficient for effective conservation. To address this problem, shoots collected in late April from mature oak trees (Quercus alba, Quercus bicolor, & Quercus palustris) were kept in the dark at 4°C for up to six days before being cultured onto Woody Plant Medium with and without silver thiosulfate (STS), a compound that is known to inhibit the action of certain phytohormones. After being incubated at 26°C and a 16-hour photoperiod for one month, shoot survival was assessed by measuring the color and growth of the shoot in culture. Shoots on medium containing STS had higher survival rates for all three species, although only one species (Q. alba) had a significant increase in survival on medium with STS. As Q. alba was the species that spent the longest amount of time in cold storage before being cultured, it is hypothesized that the use of STS improved the survival of shoots by inhibiting the action of ethylene, a hormone produced in response to stress and chilling. Using STS to inhibit ethylene may help increase the survival of shoots collected from mature individuals by mitigating the stress incurred through material collection and transportation. This is especially significant for threatened or endangered species, for which the loss of genetically valuable material could potentially harm conservation efforts.

1 - University of Cincinnati, Department of Biological Sciences, 614 Rieveschl Hall, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA
2 - Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW), 3400 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, United States
3 - University Of Cincinnati, Department Of Biological Sciences, 614 Rieveschl Hall, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, United States

Keywords:
Quercus
conservation
Tissue culture
In Vitro
Silver Thiosulfate
Ethylene
oak.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P, Conservation Biology Posters
Location: Arizona Ballroom/Starr Pass
Date: Monday, July 29th, 2019
Time: 5:30 PM This poster will be presented at 5:30 pm. The Poster Session runs from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Posters with odd poster numbers are presented at 5:30 pm, and posters with even poster numbers are presented at 6:15 pm.
Number: PCB011
Abstract ID:800
Candidate for Awards:None