Direct ex Vitro Rooting and Acclimation in Blackberry Cultivar 'Loch Ness'

Abstract. Our paper presents the results of several direct ex vitro rooting and acclimation experiments in blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), thornless cultivar 'Loch Ness'. The plant material consisted of plants propagated on Murashige & Skoog (MS) medium with 0.5 mg/l benzyladenine (BAP). The shoots excised from the plantlets were rooted directly ex vitro in various substrates: floating perlite, plastic sponge inserted in floating cell trays, rockwool in plastic trays covered with transparent lids, as well as potting mixes available commercially: Florasol, Sol Vit G, Florimo. These experimental variants yielded good results regarding the rooting and acclimation percentages. Rooting in Jiffy pellets placed in floating cell trays as well as the use of rockwool in non-covered plastic trays yielded negative results. The experiments regarding ex vitro rooting and acclimation in aeroponics or by suspending the shoots in air saturated with vapour also yielded negative results