Effects of oligochitosan, oligoalginate, and microponic culture on the in vitro growth and ex vitro acclimatization of Hibiscus sagittifolius Kurz

Hibiscus sagittifolius Kurz is a valuable medicinal plant used in traditional oriental medicine. However, due to heavy exploitation and low seed germination rates in its natural habitat, the population of this tree species has significantly declined. Therefore, it is crucial to propagate Hibiscus sagittifolius Kurz. This study aimed to investigate the effects of various factors, such as oligochitosan, oligoalginate, and auxin pretreatment in microponic culture, on the growth process of propagating Hibiscus sagittifolius Kurz shoots. The results revealed that Murashige and Skoog’s medium supplemented with 10 mg/L of oligochitosan promoted shoot growth. Additionally, on medium supplemented with oligoalginate, plants had well-developed roots and larger leaves compared to the control samples. In the microponic system, shoots were cultured in a liquid medium without sucrose and vitamin supplementation. Plants pretreated with 10 mg/L of IBA or NAA in microponic conditions resulted in successful root development. Both the addition of oligochitosan and microponic culture enhanced seedling vitality when transferred to the nursery. Notably, seedlings pretreated with 10 mg/L of NAA in microponic culture exhibited a 100% survival rate, with 23 roots and a root length of 5.27 cm after 3 weeks of planting.