The Development of Scalable Micropropagation Protocols for Alocasia zebrina G.W. Johnson & R.Hogg

Alocasia zebrina is a tropical ornamental species native to Southeast Asia, valued for its striking foliage and zebra-striped stems. This study aimed to develop an efficient in vitro propagation protocol to produce healthy, disease-free seedlings for commercial use. The protocol included explant sterilization, shoot proliferation, rooting, and acclimatization. The most effective sterilization method involved pre-treatment with a bactericide and a fungicide followed by 0.05% HgCl₂, resulting in 93% contamination-free explants. Shoot multiplication was optimized using MS medium supplemented with 0.05 mg/L TDZ and 0.75-1 mg/L BAP, yielding an average of over 18.9 shoots per explant. Rooting was most successful on MS medium containing 0.5 g/L activated charcoal and 1 mg/L NAA, producing robust plantlets with an average height of 6.2 cm, 6.2 roots, 4.2 leaves, and a stem diameter of 0.8 cm. During acclimatization, plantlets grown in a 2:1:1:1 mixture of husk charcoal, soil, organic manure, and volcanic sand achieved a 98% survival rate.