In Vitro Comparison of Benzyladenine and Meta-Topolin on Shoot Proliferation of River Cane (Arundinaria gigantea), a Candidate for Wetlands Restoration

River cane (Arundinaria gigantea) is an endangered species of temperate woody bamboo native only to the southeastern United States. This fast-growing but noninvasive species forms dense stands, called canebrakes, along waterways, where it can effectively control erosion, absorb agricultural runoff, and provide a habitat for diverse animal species. These qualities make River cane an excellent candidate for wetlands restoration in the Southeast. Unfortunately, since European settlement of North America, River cane has suffered a devastating 98% habitat loss, making it critically endangered. Therefore, an efficient and large-scale propagation method is needed both to expand existing populations and to undertake viable wetlands restoration projects. Vegetative macropropagation has low proliferation rates, and seedset in River cane is extremely infrequent and unpredictable, but in vitro micropropagation could supply consistent material with higher proliferation rates. Although previous studies have achieved shoot proliferation in vitro, to date there is no report of successful rooting and acclimatization of River cane. Benzyladenine (BA) is the most widely used cytokinin for in vitro shoot proliferation, but BA can negatively impact the subsequent rooting and acclimatization steps in micropropagation for many species. Substitution of BA with meta-topolin (mT), a rapidly degrading natural analog of BA, often improves response in these steps. Here the effects of both mT and BA were compared in vitro using River cane nodal explants, and studies optimizing shoot proliferation will be reported.