Compact 3U as a novel lighting source for the propagation of some horticultural plants

Abstract: A novel lighting system (Compact 3U) was successfully applied to the micropropagation of some horticultural plants. Cymbidium 'Tim Hot', Lilium longiflorum and Fragaria vesca cv. 'My Da' shoots were used for this study. To compare in vitro growth of plantlets placed under Neon and Compact 3U lighting systems, Fragaria vesca cv. 'My Da' shoots were cultured on !/₂ MS medium supplemented with 1 gl^-1 activated charcoal, 30 gl^-1 sucrose and 8 gl^-1 agar under two lighting sources at 45 |amolm^-2s^-1. After three weeks of culture, the shoot and root length, leaf area and fresh weight of strawberry plantlets under Compact 3U system were significantly higher than those grown under Neon system. To clarify the effect of irradiance of Compact 3U system on the development of plantlets, Cymbidium 'Tim Hot' shoots were cultured on MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mgl^-1 NAA, 1 gl^-1 activated charcoal, 100% coconut water, 25 gl^-1 sucrose and 8 gl^-1 agar, Lilium longiflorum and Fragaria vesca cv. 'My Da' shoots were cultured on V MS medium supplemented with 1 gl^-1 activated charcoal, 30 gl^-1 sucrose and 8 gl^-1 agar at different irradiances: (1) Neon at 45 |amolm^-2s^-1 (control), and Compact 3U at: (2) 45 ^molm^-2s^-1, (3) 60 |amolm^-2s^-1, and (4) 75 ^molm^-2s^-1. The results showed that plantlets of the three genera adapted differently to irradiances and lighting sources, but in all, the growth of plantlets were better under the Compact 3U system. Futhermore, ex vitro plantlets derived from Compact 3U system also developed better than those from Neon system.