Species in vitro propagation of Echinocereus, Escontria, Mammillaria, Melocactus y Polaskia (Cactaceae)

In vitro propagation systems by means of areole activation were developed for Echinocereus knippelianus, Echinocereus schmollii, Mammillaria carmenae, M. carmenae fo. rubrisprina, M. herrerae, M. theresae, Melocactus curvispinus, Escontria chiotilla and Polaskia chichipe. In vitro germinated seedlings were used as source of explants. Multiple shoot formation from areoles was achieved on MS basal medium supplemented with 3% sucrose, 10 g L-1 agar and 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) or 6-(, -dimethylallylamino)purine (2iP). Efficiencies ranged from 6.0 shoots per explant in M. carmenae fo. rubrisprina to 13.5 shoots per explant in Echinocereus schmollii. Rooting of the in vitro generated shoots was achieved in MS basal medium, or MS basal medium supplemented with indoleacetic acid, indolebutyric acid or activated charcoal. Finally, 49-98% of these plants survived.