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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #321620
Title: A comparative study on cryopreservation of mint (Menth asp.) shoot tips

Author
item TUNCER, TUNCER - Celal Bayar University
item Jenderek, Maria

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/7/2015
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Mint is used in natural seasoning, traditional medicine, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. In some countries it is grown on an industrial scale due to its economic importance; hence, preserving mint genetic resources is of value. We compared three cryopreservation techniques (T) using shoot tips of three mint species M. spicata L. (spearmint), M. hybr. (M. x peperita L. var. citrata) (bergamot mint) and M. suaveolens Ehrh. ssp. suaveolens (apple mint) to find out the best procedure to secure the highest post cryopreservation viability. Meristem shoot tips (0.6-1 mm) were excised from in vitro grown nodal segments and cryoprocessed by vitrification without cold acclimation (T 1), vitrification with cold acclimation (T 2) and encapsulation-dehydration (T 3). After a 48 h liquid nitrogen exposure, the cryopreserved shoots were thawed and re-cultured aseptically. Meristem tips that developed leaves and a shoot were considered viable. The highest viability was observed for M. spicata (76% in T 1; 41% in T 2 and 57% in T 3). M. hybr. showed the lowest viability (30% in T 1; 0% in T 2 and 23% in T 3). For M. suaveolens the best viability was obtained using technique 1 (56%). The study implied that different cryopreservation techniques might be suitable for cryopreservation of specific Mentha genotypes. Overall, the highest post cryopreservation viability was achieved when the vitrification without cold acclimation technique was applied. Optimizing the technique parameters might yield in an all-inclusive cryopreservation procedure for the mint genetic resources.

Technical Abstract: Mint is used in natural seasoning, traditional medicine, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. In some countries it is grown on an industrial scale due to its economic importance; hence, preserving mint genetic resources is of value. We compared three cryopreservation techniques (T) using shoot tips of three mint species M. spicata L. (spearmint), M. hybr. (M. x peperita L. var. citrata) (bergamot mint) and M. suaveolens Ehrh. ssp. suaveolens (apple mint) to find out the best procedure to secure the highest post cryopreservation viability. Meristem shoot tips (0.6-1 mm) were excised from in vitro grown nodal segments and cryoprocessed by vitrification without cold acclimation (T 1), vitrification with cold acclimation (T 2) and encapsulation-dehydration (T 3). After a 48 h liquid nitrogen exposure, the cryopreserved shoots were thawed and re-cultured aseptically. Meristem tips that developed leaves and a shoot were considered viable. The highest viability was observed for M. spicata (76% in T 1; 41% in T 2 and 57% in T 3). M. hybr. showed the lowest viability (30% in T 1; 0% in T 2 and 23% in T 3). For M. suaveolens the best viability was obtained using technique 1 (56%). The study implied that different cryopreservation techniques might be suitable for cryopreservation of specific Mentha genotypes. Overall, the highest post cryopreservation viability was achieved when the vitrification without cold acclimation technique was applied. Optimizing the technique parameters might yield in an all-inclusive cryopreservation procedure for the mint genetic resources.