Anti-ethylenes improve moringa multiplication via the reduction of hyperhydricity and genetic changes resulting from long-term culture

Long-term culture of a fast-growing plant species such as moringa in partially closed vessels led to the appearance of hyperhydricity which retard mass multiplication. Therefore, the overall goal of this study was to know the physiological changes associated with avoiding the phenomenon by antiethylenes (AgNO3, CoCl2 , and salicylic acid (SA)) and the effect of these compounds on the genetic changes resulting from long-term culture. Moringa multiplication was successfully obtained when hyperhydricity was successfully avoided using MS medium containing 0.56 mg/l BAP and 1.70mg/L AgNO3 or 6.91mg/L SA and it was associated with a significant increase in photosynthetic pigments, carbohydrates, proteins and Mg++ contents. In addition, no significant changes were detected in free amino acids, Na+, K+ , and Ca++ contents with decreasing the activities of CAT, POX, APX and SOD. Therefore, improvement due to antiethylenes application, in particular 1.70mg/L AgNO3, which led to the disappearance of hyperhydricity could be attributed to modulations in some physiological processes and avoidance of genetic changes under the influence of long-term culture (11 subculture), as the genetic changes decreased from 45.2% and 40.3% to 29.6% and 30.8% using RAPD and ISSR, respectively. Application of antiethylenes was recommended for improvement and mass propagation of plants suffering from hyperhydricity under tissue culture conditions.