Optimizing in vitro Culture of Pistacia vera ‘Badami-Riz-Zarand’ Using Axillary Buds

Pistacia vera ‘Badami-Riz-Zarand’ is used as rootstock in Iranian pistachio orchards due to the low sensitivity to the Phytophthora, resistance to salinity, and graft compatibility with commercial cultivars. In this study, the effects of culture media (MS and DKW) along with type and concentration of plant growth regulators were investigated on micropropagation of this rootstock. The highest growth of explants were obtained in ½ DKW culture media. Supplementing the culture media with antioxidants and activated charcoal has no significant effect on explants establishment. Most of the microshoots (5 to 6 microshoot in each explant) were induced on DKW+1 mg L-1 BA, DKW+2 mg L-1 BA + 0.5 mg L-1 GA, and also on ½  DKW culture media supplemented with 0.5 mg l-1 BA or combination of 1 or 2 mg L-1 BA + 0.5 mg L-1 GA, whereas, the length of the microshoots were higher in MS medium (3.84 to 5 cm). At rooting stage, half strength MS media supplemented with 2 mg L-1 IBA and 0.05 mg L-1 NAA showed the highest root length (4.48 cm), number of roots per microshoot (4.5), and rooting frequency (86.36%).