Surface Sterilization and In Vitro Growth of Durian (Durio zibethinus L.) Explants

Abstract

Durian is commonly propagated vegetatively to preserve desirable genetic traits; however, the production of high-quality scions for grafting remains a major limitation. Plant tissue culture is a promising approach for the large-scale production of uniform, disease-free planting materials. This study aimed to determine the optimal concentration of Haiter® for surface sterilization in reducing contamination and promoting the In Vitro growth of durian explants. Commercial bleach (Haiter®; 6% w/w sodium hypochlorite) was used to sterilize leaf blades, shoot tips, and lateral buds at concentrations of 5, 10, 15, and 20% for 10 minutes. The explants were subsequently cultured on solid Murashige and Skoog (MS; Murashige and Skoog, 1962) medium supplemented with 1 g/L activated charcoal for 30 days. For leaf blade explants, the medium was additionally supplemented with 0.5 mg/L NAA and 0.5 mg/L BA. The results showed that 10% Haiter® was suitable for leaf blade explants, resulting in a 40% contamination rate and a 60% survival rate. The leaf tissues remained green and showed no callus formation. In contrast, at 15% Haiter® resulted in 100% survival with no microbial contamination, and callus formation was observed. At 20% Haiter®, shoot tip explants showed a survival rate of 40% and a contamination rate of 40%. The tissues turned brown but were capable of callus formation. These results indicate that Haiter® is an effective sterilizing agent for durian tissue culture; however, the optimal concentration depends on the type of explant.