earticle

영어

The Rhododendron mucronulatum is a deciduous shrub, native to forests across South Korea and has traditionally been used for medicinal plants. Secondary metabolites from medicinal plants, natural compounds, are valuable for the development of functional health foods and pharmaceuticals. However, R.mucronulatum faces challenges in mass propagation due to the difficulty of vegetative propagation and the slow growth of seedlings. To address these challenges, this study aimed to identify optimal conditions for in vitro mass propagation, focusing on medium composition and form. To determine suitable cytokinins, four growth characteristics were compared on solid media without hormones, with Zeatin, 2iP, and TDZ. Through a liquid medium, the optimal Zeatin concentration was determined. Zeatin at 3 μM resulted in the highest fresh weight, as measured at both 2 and 4 weeks. Using a temporary immersion bioreactor, shoot fresh weights were compared at different immersion cycles. Results showed the 4-hour cycle (15 minutes immersion + 3 hours 45 minutes exposure) yielded the highest fresh weight. Through a solid medium, Zeatin was found effective and a concentration of 3 μM in a liquid medium proved efficient for growth. In the bioreactor, the fresh weight with a 4-hour immersion cycle was highest; however, the liquid medium experiment of the same composition exhibited even higher fresh weight. Consequently, a continuous immersion method through a liquid medium is deemed more effective for the mass propagation of R.mucronulatum.