Micropropagation, rooting, and acclimatization of two cultivars of goji (Lycium chinense)

In recent years, Lycium chinense (goji) has become increasing popular because of its public acceptance as a “superfood”. Hence, the present study aimed to develop a rapid production technology by using in vitro culture to produce plants with high health value, throughout year and in desired quantities. A micropropagation protocol for growing L. chinense ‘No 1’ and ‘New Big’ cultivars was developed. The explants were grown on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of meta-Topolin (0.4-0.8 mg L-1), and WPM and RA without plant hormones. Among the tested combinations, the maximum regeneration rate (95-97%) with the mean shoot length of 3.53-4.12 cm and mean shoot number of 1.42–1.58 (‘No 1’ and ‘New Big’, respectively) was recorded for plants grown on MS with 0.6 mg L-1 mT and WPM. For in vitro rooting, healthy roots (4.71-4.91 cm) were obtained on MS with the addition of 20 ppm chitosan. A maximum of 70–80% plantlets (‘No 1’ and ‘New Big’, respectively) regenerated on the medium with chitosan were successfully acclimatized and established in the mixture of 90% peat and 10% perlite under field conditions.