Differential fragment regeneration in Syntrichia caninervis Mitt. from the Gurbantunggut Desert of China

Abstract

Fragments of the desert moss Syntrichia caninervis Mitt. were grown on the surface of moistened sand to assess their regeneration capacity. The plant material was collected in two different years (2014 and 2015) and divided into five fragment classifications (stem apices, green leaves, yellow-green leaves, brown leaves and stems). All fragments of the stem apices, green leaves and stems regenerated within 10 days of culture while some fragments of yellow-green leaves (two 2014 fragments and one 2015 fragment) and brown leaves (three 2014 fragments and three 2015 fragments) died. Fragments of stem, stem apices and green leaves regenerated more quickly, produced longer protonemata and more shoots as compared to fragments of yellow-green and brown leaves. These differences were statistically significant but there was no difference in regeneration between the fragments from 2014 and 2015. Differential regeneration and proliferation of different plant fragments has important implications for the clonal propagation of S. caninervis in the Gurbantunggut Desert.

Keywords:

• Desiccation biology
• Gurbantunggut Desert
• Protonemata
• Regeneration
• Syntrichia caninervis

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments on the manuscript. This work was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China project [grant no. 31470413] and National Nature Science Foundation of China-Xinjiang talent youth project [grant no.U1403302].

Taxonomic Additions and Changes: Nil.