Ex situ conservation of the endangered species Androcalva perlaria (Malvaceae) by micropropagation and cryopreservation

Micropropagation and cryopreservation protocols were developed for the threatened Australian species Androcalva perlaria. Vegetative shoots were brought into culture using a simplified surface sterilisation process with between 26 and 100 % of shoots successfully initiated across all genotypes. Shoots were multiplied on ½ MS basal salts medium (BM) with 1.25 µM 6-furfurylaminopurine (K) + 0.125 µM 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). Cryopreservation was then developed for a single genotype to facilitate long-term ex situ storage for conservation purposes. Highest survival (>80 %) of shoot tips was achieved by preculture on 1.2 M glycerol for 48 h, incubation in PVS2 solution at 0 °C for 30 min, followed by rapid LN immersion then recovery. Application of this cryogenic approach to shoot tips from a range of genotypes gave variable post-cryopreservation regeneration results; survival for one genotype was only 3 %, while for four other genotypes survival varied between 60 and 80 % which compared favourably with post-cryopreservation regeneration (85 %) of the genotype used to develop the protocol. Callus production was achieved by culturing stem segments on ½ MS BM with 2.5 µM a-naphthaleneacetic acid + 2.5 µM BAP. Adventitious shoots were best regenerated from callus through incubation on BM only. Small callus pieces were successfully cryopreserved from 16 genotypes (1–88 % regeneration). Using a callus tissue pathway plant material was placed into LN storage after 6–8 weeks from the time of collection (compared to ~6 months using shoot tips). Plants derived from cryogenically preserved callus tissues were re-established in soil 28 weeks after removal from LN. This study demonstrates how biotechnology can be effectively utilised for the rapid ex situ conservation of endangered flora while ensuring that a significant range of genetically diverse samples can be conserved for long-term biosecurity