Establishing surface disinfection protocol for micropropagation of clonal apple rootstock MM111

Surface disinfection plays a pivotal role in preparing healthy and viable explants for tissue culture. Using an appropriate sterilizing agent during this process can effectively eradicate most surface contaminants. The study aimed to present an effective disinfection method for clonal apple rootstock MM111. Two important sterilizing agents, mercuric chloride and sodium hypochlorite with different concentrations and durations were tried and findings confirmed that the highest levels of aseptic conditions (80.00% for shoot tips and 86.67%) for nodal segments) and culture survival rates (63.67% for shoot tips and 70.33% for nodal segments) were attained with 0.1% mercuric chloride for 4 min, specifically during the month of April, as compared to other months.