Effectiveness evaluation of introducing blackcurrant varieties (Ribes nigrum) into in vitro culture

In this research project, supported by the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, we set out to compare the effectiveness of various sterilization regimens for blackcurrant lateral buds during introduction into in vitro sterile culture. The study was conducted using the facilities of the Agricultural Biotechnology Training and Production Laboratory of the Kostroma State Agricultural Academy (Russia). Lateral buds were harvested from lignified shoots of the Bryanskiy Agat, Vera, and Debryansk currant cultivars, obtained at the Federal Scientific Center of Horticulture in 2023. All varieties exhibited sufficiently high morphogenetic potential for in vitro cultivation. The determined optimal sterilizing agent was a 0.05 % solution of chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) with a 10-min exposure. Meristem viability, depending on the pomological cultivar, ranged from 53.3 % to 66.7 %. The use of a 5.0 % sodium hypochlorite (SH) solution for exposures of 5, 10, and 15 min increased the viability of meristems from 53.3 to 73.3 %. The maximum contamination level was achieved with the combined use of both sterilizing agents (SH and CHG) under a 5-min exposure, ranging 50.0–70.0 %. The maximum number of morphogenically active meristems was obtained after sterilization with a 0.05 % solution (CHG) following an exposure of 10 and 15 min.