Pistacia vera, as well as other woody plants, frequently shows shoot tip necrosis during in vitro culture limiting its propagation. Shoot tip necrosis is a complex problem not yet completely understood. In this work, three different culture media were tested with pistachio shoots, and the effect of different factors (Ca-gluconate, bottom cooling, shoot number or aeration) on shoot tip necrosis was studied. DKW medium, with up to 3 times more Ca concentration, did better results than MS or WPM media. And this can be related with the lack of effect of Ca additions in the form of Ca-gluconate to DKW medium on shoot tip necrosis or on other parameters: shoot quality, multiplication rate or number of internodes. Three of the studied treatments: bottom cooling, shoot number per flask, and the use of vented jars with a bigger volume, reduced shoot tip necrosis and improved shoot quality in a significant way related to the control, however, no significant differences among them were found. The results are discussed in terms of the beneficial effect of both higher quantities of medium per shoot and an increase of transpiration and nutrient transport through the shoot on pistachio tissue culture

Este trabajo ha sido financiado en parte por el proyecto RTA2010-00053-C03-03 y por la ayuda recibida del Gobierno de Aragón como Grupo de Excelencia A-43.

Resumen del trabajo presentado en la VI International Symposium on Almond and Pistachios, celebrado en Murcia del 27 al 31 de mayo de 2013