A nutrient medium for diverse applications and tissue growth of plant species in vitro

The basal salt formulation of a medium is a vital but often overlooked component in many in vitro applications, as it regulates the growth and morphology of plant tissues by providing essential nutrients. The MS and B5 formulations are the two most widely used basal media, yet they are suboptimal for many species. The objective of this study was to evaluate the BDS (modified B5) basal salt formulation for in vitro growth and development using rice, maize, soybean, cotton, onion, tobacco, muscadine, raspberry, and gerbera daisy as test species. The responses measured for each species included callus growth (biomass production), plant regeneration, micropropagation rate, hairy root growth, and production of secondary metabolites. BDS was compared to MS, B5, and BABI, a high-calcium version of BDS (440 mg/l CaCl2). For the majority of the species and responses measured, the results obtained with BDS and/or BABI were equal to or better than those obtained with MS or B5. Because of the wide range of plant species and in vitro systems included in this study, we conclude that BDS—or simple variations of BDS, such as BABI—are better balanced for a variety of uses in plant biotechnology, research, and production systems than either MS or B5.