The 2011 ASHS Annual Conference

Light quality influences the growth and morphology of plant tissues and plant development. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) offer precise control of light quality and spectral composition. A comparison of growth under LEDs and white fluorescent lamps was conducted by placing in vitro cultures of anthurium explants under red LEDs, blue LEDs, and white fluorescent lamps. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of red LEDs and blue LEDs on micropropagation of anthurium 'Nitta' and 'Lavender Lady' (UH 1145) explants. Leaf pieces, about 1 cm x 1 cm, were plated onto petri dishes containing half-strength Murashige and Skoog medium (Caisson Laboratories MSP-009), 0.2 mg/L IBA, 1 mg/L TDZ, 20 g/L sucrose and solidified with 2.0 g/L gellan gum (Caisson Laboratories G017), pH 5.7-5.8. Once callus formed on the leaf tissues, calli pieces were then transferred to magenta boxes containing half-strength Murashige and Skoog medium (Caisson Laboratories MSP-009), supplemented with 15% coconut water, 20 g/L sucrose, solidified with 2.0 g/L gellan gum, pH 5.7-5.8. The boxes with the explants were placed under red LEDs, blue LEDs, and cool white fluorescent lamps at a light level of 35 μmoles/m²/s, 12-hr photoperiod, and 21°C. For 'Nitta' the red LEDs had greater shoot height than the other treatments. Red LEDs resulted in greater total plantlet fresh weight, shoot fresh weight, and callus fresh weight. The fluorescent lamps had a higher root fresh weight. The red LEDs had greater percent partitioning of shoot fresh weight than the other treatments. For 'Lavender Lady' the red LEDs had greater shoot height than the other treatments. The red LEDs and the fluorescent lamps had greater total plantlet fresh weight, shoot fresh weight, and root fresh weight than the blue LEDs. The red LEDs had greater percent partitioning of shoot fresh weight and root fresh weight than the other treatments. In conclusion, LEDs offer a possible means of manipulating the growth of anthurium explants.