In vitro Growth and Multiplication of Pineapple under Different Duration of Sterilization and Different Concentrations of Benzylaminopurine and Sucrose

The optimal duration of sterilization with 2% sodium hypochlorite as well as the optimal concentrations of Benzylaminopurine (BAP) and sucrose for the in vitro culture of MD2 pineapple plants were investigated on MS medium. The research was carried out at the Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory of the University of Cape Coast, Ghana from February to May 2013. The sterilization durations were 10, 15, 20 and 25 mm. For the sucrose treatments, 30, 40, 50 and 60 g L super( -1) were used whilst 2, 4, 6 and 8 mg L super( -1) BAP were used as hormonal treatments for bud growth and multiplication, with each treatment replicated 50 times. With 2% NaOC1 destroyed most of the tender buds and affected regeneration whilst those sterilized for 20 mm had above 30% regeneration though there was 10% contamination on the explants. In terms of number of plantlets per explant, 50 g L super( -1) sucrose was found to be better than those on 60 g L super( -1) sucrose which produced 2.5 plantlets per explant.