Tissue culture of Cinnamomum verum (true cinnamon) is a valuable technique for mass propagation, especially for elite cultivars, since seed propagation can result in genetic variability and slow growth. Below is a summarized tissue culture protocol for C. verum:
???? Tissue Culture Protocol for Cinnamomum verum
1. Explant Selection:
- Preferred: Nodal segments, shoot tips, or young leaf explants
- Source from healthy, disease-free mother plants
2. Surface Sterilization:
- Wash with running water for 15–30 min
- Soak in 70% ethanol for 30 sec
- Treat with 0.1% mercuric chloride (HgCl₂) or 0.5% sodium hypochlorite for 5–10 min
- Rinse thoroughly 3–4 times with sterile distilled water
3. Initiation Medium:
- MS (Murashige & Skoog) basal medium + 3% sucrose
- Cytokinins:
- 1.0–2.5 mg/L BAP (6-benzylaminopurine)
- 0.1–0.5 mg/L NAA (optional) to encourage callus/shoot formation
- Activated charcoal (0.1%) helps reduce phenolic browning
4. Shoot Multiplication:
- Transfer to fresh MS medium every 3–4 weeks
- Cytokinin-rich medium:
- BAP (1–2 mg/L)
- Kinetin (0.5–1 mg/L) may enhance multiplication rate
5. Rooting:
- Half-strength MS or WPM medium
- Auxins:
- IBA (1.0–2.0 mg/L) or
- NAA (0.5–1.0 mg/L)
- Add activated charcoal (0.2–0.5%) to support rooting
- Root initiation within 2–4 weeks
6. Acclimatization:
- Transfer rooted plantlets to sterilized potting mix (peat + sand + cocopeat)
- High humidity in mist chamber or plastic tent
- Gradual hardening over 2–4 weeks
✅ Tips for Success:
- Cinnamon is prone to oxidative browning – always use antioxidants (ascorbic acid, activated charcoal).
- Explants from younger plants show better regeneration potential.
- Regular subculturing prevents vitrification and callus senescence.
Would you like a flowchart for Cinnamomum verum tissue culture too, or a starter media preparation guide?