Effect of Water Stress and Nano Selenium on Growth and Multiplication of Strawberry Shoots (Fragaria X ananassa Duch) in Vitro

Abstract

The experiment was conducted in the plant tissue culture laboratory of the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering, College of Agriculture, Al-Qasim Green University. For the purpose of evaluating the tolerance of celery cultivar Festival to water stress in vitro using three concentrations of polyethylene glycol (PEG) (4, 0.2 mg L^-1) and three concentrations of nano selenium (Se) (4, 2, 0 mg L^-1) in the growth and multiplication of strawberry shoots. The apical meristem taken from the purlins of the aforementioned cultivar, which was obtained from Najaf Research Department - Agricultural Research Department - Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture, was cultivated in the MS medium (Murashige and Skoog) supplied with (1 mg L^-1BA + 0. mg L^-1). IBA + 80 mg L^-1adenine sulfate) for 4 weeks, Then the percentage of surviving plants, the average number of shoots formed, their lengths, the number of leaves, and their fresh and dry weights were calculated as indicators of their response and tolerance to water stress. The results showed a significant reduction in the percentage of plant survival, the number of branches and their lengths, the number of leaves, and their fresh and dry weights when the concentration of polyethylene glycol (PEG) in the multiplication medium was increased. The lowest values were recorded at a concentration of 4 mg L^-1compared to the highest results when the control treatment was 0 mg L^-1. As for the nano selenium, the highest values were recorded at a concentration of 4 mg L^-1compared to the lowest results when the comparison treatment was 0 mg L^-1.