Preservation of encapsulated shoot tips and nodes of the tropical hardwoods Corymbia torelliana × C. citriodora and Khaya senegalensis

Alginate encapsulation is a simple and cost-effective technique to preserve plant germplasm but there are only a few reports available on preservation of encapsulated explants of two highly valuable groups of tropical trees, the eucalypts (Myrtaceae) and mahoganies (Meliaceae). This study investigated alginate encapsulation for preservation of the eucalypt hybrid, Corymbia torelliana × C. citriodora, and the African mahogany, Khaya senegalensis. We assessed shoot regrowth of encapsulated shoot tips and nodes after storage for 0, 3, 6 and 12 months on media varying in sucrose and nutrient content, under storage conditions of 14°C and zero-irradiance. Encapsulated explants of both trees were preserved most effectively on high-nutrient (half-strength Murashige and Skoog) medium containing 1% sucrose, which provided very high frequencies of shoot regrowth (92–100% for Corymbia and 71–98% for Khaya) and excellent shoot development after 12 months’ storage. This technique provides an extremely efficient means for storage and exchange of eucalypts and mahoganies, ideally suited for incorporation into plant breeding and germplasm conservation programs.