Ibrahim M. Makhadmeh

Cell Suspension and In Vitro Production of Colchicine in Wild Colchicum Hierosolymitanum Feib

Callus was induced from seeds of Colchicum hierosolymitanum Feib inoculated on the surface of MS media supplemented with 0.45 µM 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid under dark conditions. Then callus was cultured on MS media supplemented with 4.52 µM 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic for growth and maintenance. Friable callus from the fourth generation was transferred to liquid MS media supplemented with 0.54 µM 1-naphthaleneacetic acid to form cell suspension. Cells were successfully subcultured every 27 days on the same liquid media supplemented with 0.54 µM 1- naphthaleneacetic acid. Higher concentration (9 µM) of 6-benzyladenine with 0.45 µM 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid resulted in higher cells fresh weight, while 1-naphthaleneacetic acid combinations with 6-benzyladenine had no effect on cell growth. On the other hand, the time for subculturing the cells into new fresh liquid media was determined to be after 27 days of incubation. (-) -Colchicine was identified in callus and cell suspension of C. hierosolymitanum by performing HPLC analysis against standard. Different ratios of NH +4 : NO -3 were used to study their effect on (-)-colchicine content, the highest colchicine content of 0.070 mg g -1 DW was obtained at 30 mM NH 4 + of total nitrogen. Colchicine alkaloid was highest, 0.090 mg g -1 DW, at 0.1 M of sucrose after 4 weeks incubation. (-) - Colchicine alkaloid was not detected in callus grown on sucrose free media. Maximum production of colchicine, 0.235 mg g -1 DW, was obtained in callus extracts of 60 days old callus grown under dark conditions. Cell suspension had 0.012 mg g-1 DW (-) -colchicine from suspended cells grown under dark. (-) -Colchicine content of callus incubated under dark (0.095 mg g -1 DW) was higher than light (0.070 mg g -1 DW) condition.

Clonal propagation and medium-term conservation of Capparis spinosa: A medicinal plant

Successful in vitro multiplication of Capparis spinosa was achieved on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with benzyl amino purine (BAP) at 0.8 mg/L. The highest shoot length (35.6 mm) was obtained with the use of 0.4 mg/L BAP and 0.2 mg/L 1-naphthaleneanacetic acid (NAA). Kinetin at 2.0 mg/L produced a multiplication rate of 9.7 microshoots per explants with an average shoot length of 21.3 mm. In vitro rooting was successfully achieved on MS media supplemented with different concentration of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), indole acetic acid (IAA) or NAA at various concentrations. However, rooting did not occur in the absence of IBA, IAA or NAA. A total of 85% survival was achieved when rooted explants acclimatized ex vitro using a mixture of 1 perlite: 1 peat. In another experiment, in vitro C. spinosa were successfully stored without serious losses by using MS medium supplemented with an appropriate concentration of osmoticum (sucrose, sorbitol, mannitol or glucose) at various concentration (0, 3, 6, 9 or 12%). Two types of plant material were used (in vitro plantlets and in vitro plantlets without tips). The results obtained show that the two type of plant material could be successfully maintained in vitro and optimum treatments were identified for each plant material. Further studies are still needed on medium term conservation to enhance the survival percentages of different plant material type.

Adoption of Integrated Pest Management ( IPM ) Practices to Control Capnodes Pests on Stone Fruit Trees in Irbid Governorate in Jordan = تبني مزارعي اللوزيات لبرنامج المكافحة المتكاملة ( IPM ) لحشرة الكابنودس على أشجار اللوزيات في محافظة إربد ، الأردن

Stone fruit production in Jordan has decreased and the yield is relatively low as a result of certain factors like, cultivar selection and farm location, inadequate farm management, disease control and lack of pest management programs. The adoption rate of the suggested Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program which disseminated among Jordanian growers in the year 2005 via national extension program was implemented in Irbid Governorate to control and manage Capnodes (Capnodes tenebrionis L.) insect which attacks and reduces stone fruit trees production. The study used a survey questioner consisting of five parts and the sample population was (n=152). The specific objectives of the study were: (1) to determine the adoption rate of (IPM) practices by farmers, (2) to describe the personal characteristics of stone fruit trees farmers (3) to determine farmers’ main source of information and (4) to determine the relationship between some specific farmers’ characteristics and adoption rate of farmers. The results showed that the majority of the respondents are males (94%), one third of the farmers (32.2%) are between (41- 50) years of age category, the majority of farmers are married (84%); the average family members are (6). (27%) of farmers had 5 to 10 years working experience in agriculture, (30%) of farmers had less than 10 dunums in land area. Moreover; (22.4%) of the farmers were full time. (50%) of farmers rented their major agricultural equipment and 25 % from their income derived from growing almonds. The study revealed that the adoption rate of the (IPM) program was low as (36.7%). The study showed that the main sources of farmers’ information (26.3%) are from National Center for Agriculture Research and Extension (NCARE), (7.2%) is from universities, (19.1%) is from private sector companies and (23.7%) is from expert farmers. Moreover, a positive correlation was found between (farmers’ working experience and land area) and farmers’ adoption rate at a significant level (P ≤ 0.05) and (P ≤ 0.01). The study recommend a full awareness program targeting stone fruit trees on (IPM) practices and procedure to control Capnodes insect attack in Jordan.

In vitro Propagation of Threatened Pimelea spicata from Mature Plant Material

A simple, rapid micropropagation protocol tor Pimelea spicata using microshoot explants taken from mature trees is outlined. Proliferation was experimented with different levels (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 or 5.0 mg/1) of Benzylamino purine, (BAP), kinetin or zeatin. The greatest shoot proliferation (4.8 microshoots) was obtained when 1.0 mg/1 BAP was used. Rooting was experimented at different levels (0.0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.2, 1.5 or 2.0 mg/1) indole-3-butyric-acid (IBA), indole-3-acetic-acid (IAA) or 1-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). The highest percen- tage (85%) of shoots developing roots was attained in media containing 1.5 mg/1 IBA. Rooted plantlets were ex vitro acclimatized (40% survival), transferred to soil and successfully grown in the greenhouse.