BB basal medium: a field-informed approach to blueberry micropropagation

Obedgiu S., GÜRCAN K.

PLANT CELL TISSUE AND ORGAN CULTURE, vol.166, no.3, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 166 Issue: 3
  • Publication Date: 2026
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s11240-026-03568-y
  • Journal Name: PLANT CELL TISSUE AND ORGAN CULTURE
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, Compendex, Environment Index, Natural Science Collection (ProQuest), Biological Science Database (ProQuest)
  • Erciyes University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

We developed a basal formulation (Blueberry, BB medium) by integrating commercial blueberry fertigation principles, providing an ammonium-to-nitrate nitrogen ratio aligned with the optimal range reported for blueberry under field conditions, and emphasizing ammonium-dominant nitrogen, sulfate-based anion balance, exclusion of chloride salts, and stable iron chelation. BB medium was evaluated in four blueberry cultivars and compared with MS and WPM during culture initiation, subculture, and ex vitro acclimatization. During culture initiation, BB medium increased shoot length after six weeks by 23-37% relative to WPM and by 67-82% relative to MS, depending on cultivar. During subculture, shoot proliferation was primarily driven by cytokinin supplementation, with 2 mg L-& sup1; zeatin yielding the highest shoot numbers across basal media. Under cytokinin-supplemented conditions (2 mg L-& sup1; zeatin), BB medium altered shoot induction relative to MS and WPM in a cultivar-dependent manner, ranging from 13% to 132% relative to MS and from - 31% to + 83% relative to WPM. In contrast, under hormone-free conditions, BB medium consistently promoted shoot elongation, increasing shoot length by 36-256% relative to WPM and by 50-321% relative to MS. Ex vitro rooting and acclimatization were successful across all treatments, with 95-100% survival. These results demonstrate a functional separation between cytokinin-driven shoot proliferation and basal medium-dependent shoot elongation and provide a transferable framework for basal medium design in blueberry micropropagation.