Effects of natural and synthetic cytokinin hormone on shoot regeneration of rockmelon (Cucumis melo) Glamour cv. by using nodal explants

Rockmelon Glamour cv. belongs to Cucurbitaceae family and the fruit enriched with nutrients that can reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and asthma. Using in vitro culture technique, rockmelon was able to mass propagate and commercially cultivated in order to meet rising market demand. The objectives of this study were to develop a micropropagation protocol for mass production of new Glamour cv. new plantlets and to acclimatize the plantlets to the ex vitro condition for further growth process. In this research, both natural (zeatin) and synthetic (kinetin) hormones were supplemented in MS media at different concentrations (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 2 mg/L) for shoot proliferation from nodal explants of rockmelon Glamour cv. Shoots were successfully regenerated from node explant in all tested medium after 4 weeks. MS supplemented with 0.1 mg/L kinetin gave the highest number of shoots (1.83±1.89), nodes (4.33±3.31), and leaves (4.11±3.18). Regenerated shoots were transferred to the root induction medium containing IAA at different concentrations (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 2 mg/L) and shoots was highly elongate and root proliferated in MSO. Healthy grown plantlets were acclimatized to three different growth media. In vermiculite growth media, plantlets were successfully survived (81±23.09%) after 6 weeks. In conclusion, kinetin synthetic hormone was able to give high number of shoots regenerated from nodal explants of rockmelon Glamour cv. compared to zeatin and plantlets were able to survive in the external condition in the vermiculite growth media.