Efficient long-term conservation of Taraxacum pieninicum synthetic seeds in slow growth conditions

The aim of this paper was to develop a protocol for efficient storage of artificial seeds of Taraxacum pieninicum, critically endangered Asteraceae species. Storage under reduced light conditions or in the darkness was tested on a basis of synthetic seeds ability to conversion and post-storage regrowth of shoot tips. The results indicated that synseeds obtained from shoot tips of T. pieninicum can be stored at 4 °C even for 12 months without subculture. The light is a stress factor during storage what was manifested by numerous necrosis and decreased shoots ability to proliferate in optimal growth conditions in 1st subculture. Additionally our results showed that the storage does not produce genetic variation at the resolution provided by the flow cytometry and RAPD analysis.