Effect of red seaweed (Kappaphycus alvarezii), and brown seaweed (Sargassum crassifolium) extracts on growth performance of in vitro propagated anthurium (Anthurium andraeanum)

Abstract

The use of low-cost alternatives for in vitro culture media and plant growth hormone is crucial to minimize the cost of production. This study evaluated the bio-stimulatory effects of Kappaphycus alvarezii (KA) and Sargassum crassifolium (SC) seaweed extracts on the growth performance of in vitro propagated Anthurium andraeanum (Anthurium). Ten treatments with sixteen replicates for each treatment were used in this study. Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium with and without 6-Benzyl Amino Purine (BAP) were used as the two control treatments. Other treatments were prepared by separately incorporating 5% and 10% of KA or SC extracts into MS medium with and without BAP. Initial plant height (35±5 mm), number of leaves (5±2), number of roots (2±1), and number of shoots (0±0) were recorded before establishing the plantlets. The experiments were conducted for a period of three months. Shoot and root formation, shoot elongation, and leaf generation data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. The control medium supplemented with BAP recorded a maximum plant height of 45.75 mm, a maximum number of leaves as 18.43, a maximum number of roots as 6.88, and a maximum number of shoots as 5.19. The control without BAP recorded a maximum plant height of 43.44 mm, a maximum number of leaves as 13.38, a maximum number of roots as 6.75, and a maximum number of shoots as 2.44. Anthurium plantlets in MS medium (without BAP) with 5% KA extract recorded significantly higher (p<0.05) plant height (70.25±12.09 mm), and number of roots (10.44±1.95). But a higher number of leaves (21.75±4.67) recorded in this media than in the controls without significance (p>0.05). The highest number of shoots (5.94±2.90) was recorded in MS medium supplemented with BAP and 5% KA extract without significance (p>0.05) compared to the controls. MS medium with 10% SC and without BAP recorded higher plant height (62.69±1.43 mm) and number of roots (7.94±2.47) without significance (p>0.05) compared to controls. The study revealed that KA extract can be incorporated as an additive in Anthurium andraeanum tissue culture media due to the abundance of nutrition and hormones required for successful growth.