Effect of different concentrations of benzylaminopurine for the in vitro propagation of Vanilla tahitensis (J. W. Moore)

The establishment of an efficient in vitro propagation protocol is still ongoing for Vanilla tahitensis (J. W. Moore), an underdeveloped but economically attractive crop in Ecuador. The objective of the research was to evaluate the application of different concentrations of cytokine benzylaminopurine (BAP) in its in vitro culture. The effect of six concentrations of BAP was studied (0.50, 1.00, 1.50, 1.75, 2.00 and 2.50 mg/L), and a control treatment, with five repetitions, using a completely randomized design. The 2.0 mg/L concentration of BAP allowed the best micropropagation of the vanilla producing 5 and 6 shoots at 60 and 90 d after sowing. The greatest length of roots was achieved with 1.75 mg/L (7 cm). Regarding plant height and leaf number, the 2.0 mg/L concentration showed the highest plant height with 18 and 6 cm at 90 and 60 d after sowing, and the highest number of leaves with 7 and 5 leaves, respectively. This research reports a successful in vitro culture protocol for this species, to promote the development of this crop in Ecuador, due to its outstanding possibilities for commerce at the international market.