Tissue Culture of Drosophyllum

[CPBlake]

In May 2009 I begin work on my undergraduate thesis project. I chose to focus on Drosophyllum lusitanicum. My attention was first brought to this plant reading The Savage Garden by D' Amato. In this book and other literature I read about the difficulty of propagating this species. As a new botany major this intrigue me and I begin learning about Cell Culture and other propagation methods. I knew then that I wanted to give this a try.

Thus far from the literature that I have read through, plants have only been able to be produced in culture when started from seed. The seed is germinated in-vitro (in glass) and allowed to grow for some time before being transferred to a medium that allows the young plant to divide its crown. I felt that the current treatment of propagation of Drosophyllum leflt a lot of doors open. Currently I am in the beginning stages of this experiment as will be evident in the photo documentation below.

*Update*
Long soaking of the seeds seems to be counter beneficial to the seed. I have had low germination rates in all my seed of the second group. The seeds were soaked for 12 days instead of 5 days. The longer soaking period was to simulate extended rains or the seed floating in a lake or pond or being caught in a depression where water could collect.



For now I am going to leave this project description as relatively basic. In time it will evolve to something much bigger.

The following is a list of experiments to be conducted or are currently being conducted: (details will follow at a future date)...

*Compare 2 basel media and 2 cytokinins in the different base media
*Use leaves, flower stems, roots and anthers for culture
*attempt embryogenesis from produced calluses
*Note the production of a nathoquinone
*Test seed soaking periods
*Use in-vitro tissue for regeneration

The following are photographs taken of the project so far.

Media Preparation

In-Vitro Seeds

The following group of photographs is of my first in-vitro germination inoculated on MS base media

The following is a photo sequence of my best performing plant:

This plant is not being growing on MS you can see the difference of color in the leaves

My 15 month old plant

Below Drosophyllum and my beautiful assistant whose arm is only showing; Estella from Spain.

 

[NeciFiX]

Very nice project, Blake. I hope the plants actually live for more than 2 years [or after flowering] from what I remember reading, they seem to quickly deteriorate after flowering.

 

[Fryster]

Awesome work Blake!

Great photos of germination too!

 

[jimscott]

Now that's a fun project! The hardest part for me is transitioning from TC to ambient. Something always goes wrong, even when I follow instructions!

 

[CPBlake]

Now that's a fun project! The hardest part for me is transitioning from TC to ambient. Something always goes wrong, even when I follow instructions!

I didn't know you have attempted TC jimscott. What have you tried? Have you had anything make it to ex-vitro conditions?

Currently I am 3 weeks behind in the project because the distiller at the school broke and I didn't know. It still had water coming out but it was not being filtered. So who knows whats in my media......

 

[jimscott]

I haven't done the TC end of things, but I once received TC'd D. regia and another time some VFT's. The regia were growing, at first, but I thought I would do them a favor and give them pots of their own. Then they died. That was also before I was awar of rinsiing the culture medium. With the VFT's (I'll show ya pictures another time) I rinsed everything well and put them in a pot. I thought they were acclimating but eventually they declined and died.

 

[trek623]

Wow, awesome! I bet that is a really fun research project! I would love to do something like that in school. Keep us updated.