In vitro regeneration of Lily bulblets and artificial seeds development
摘要
The reproduction rate of natural bulbs of lilies is low, and the reproduction efficiency through traditional vegetative propagation methods is also relatively low. It is necessary to find more efficient reproduction methods. This study established a hydrogel encapsulation protocol to develop storable artificial seeds for Lilium brownii var. viridulum using in vitro-regenerated bulblets. The optimized artificial endosperm formulation integrated 1.5% (w/v) sodium alginate, MS basal medium, 0.5% water-soluble fertilizer, 3 g L− 1 mancozeb, 5 mg L− 1 GA₃, and 1 mg L− 1 6-BA, crosslinked in 1.5% (w/v) CaCl₂ for 5 min to achieve uniform semi-rigid hydrogel beads with a diameter range of 9–11 mm. Artificial seeds exhibited rapid germination (78.33% within 10 days) under controlled conditions. A novel paraffin coating significantly reduced water loss to 2.56% after 30 days of storage, while localized perforation (2 mm diameter) filled with magnesium stearate further extended dormancy, suppressing germination to 6.67% over 45 days. Crucially, mechanical scarification of the paraffin coat restored germination capacity to 100%, confirming reversible dormancy induction. This dual-phase encapsulation system combines hydrogel-based endosperms with tunable paraffin coatings, offering a scalable solution for long-term storage and commercial propagation of lily germplasm.