In vitro shoot growth and adventitious rooting of Wikstroemia gemmata depends on light quality

In vitro propagation of the ornamentally interesting species Wikstroemia gemmata is limited by the recalcitrance to form adventitious roots. In this article, two strategies to improve the rooting capacity of in vitro microcuttings are presented. Firstly, the effect of exogenous auxin was evaluated in both light and dark cultivated stem segments and also the sucrose-content of the medium was varied in order to determine better rooting conditions. Secondly, different spectral lights were evaluated and the effect on shoot growth and root induction demonstrated that the exact spectral composition of light is important for successful in vitro growth and development of Wikstroemia gemmata. We show that exogenous auxin cannot compensate for the poor rooting under unfavorable light conditions. Adapting the culture conditions is therefore paramount for successful industrial propagation of Wikstroemia gemmata.