Open AccessUse of Emulsion-Templated, Highly Porous Polyelectrolytes for In Vitro Germination of Chickpea Embryos: a New Substrate for Soilless Cultivation
Author(s) -
Janja Majer Kovačič,
Terezija Ciringer,
Jana Ambrožič-Dolinšek,
Sebastijan Kovačič
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
biomacromolecules
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.689
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1526-4602
pISSN - 1525-7797
DOI - 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00593
Subject(s) - polyelectrolyte , emulsion , substrate (aquarium) , germination , chemical engineering , materials science , hydroponics , porosity , porous medium , chemistry , polymer chemistry , polymer , botany , organic chemistry , composite material , biology , ecology , engineering
The application of highly porous and 3D interconnected microcellular polyelectrolyte polyHIPE (PE-PH) monoliths based on (3-acrylamidopropyl)-trimethylammonium chloride as soilless cultivation substrates for in vitro embryo culture is discussed. The embryo axes isolated from chickpea seeds are inoculated onto the surface of the monoliths and allowed to germinate. Germination study show that the newly disclosed PE-PH substrate performs much better than the conventionally used agar as the germination percentage, shoot and root length, fresh and dry weight as well as the number of leaves are enhanced. The PE-PHs exhibit a higher absorption capacity of the plant growth medium, that is, 36 g·g -1 compared to agar, that is, 20 g·g -1 , and also survive autoclaving conditions without failing. The key advantage over standard agar substrates is that they can be reused several times and also without prior sterilization. These results suggest that PE-PHs with exceptional absorption/retention properties and robustness have great potential as soilless substrates for in vitro plant cultivation.