Cytokinin promotes fast maturation and mass propagation of the moss Brachythecium plumosum

This study was conducted to investigate the most optimal cytokinin concentration for fast growth and mass propagation of in vitro-cultured moss Brachythecium plumosum, which is valuable as a new plant material for urban greening. Kinetin, which was the most effective cytokinin in previous studies, was used for treatment at various concentrations: non-kinetin supplemented control, 10-8, 10-7, 10-6, 10-5, and 10-4 M of kinetin, and 10-5 M kinetin + 10-5 M IAA. In this study, the control and the 10-5 M kinetin + 10-5 M IAA treatment produced the most protonema and the longest protonema, whereas 10-8 and 10-7 M kinetin treatments produced the fewest and the shortest protonema. However, the greatest numbers of buds, gemma and leafy buds were formed with 10-8 and 10-7 M kinetin treatments. The number of buds tended to increase with the 10-8 and 10-7 M kinetin. The bud size was proportional to the number of buds. The biggest buds were produced from 10-8 and 10-7 M kinetin-treated media and the smallest in the control. Therefore, cytokinin treatments promote fast maturation and mass propagation of in vitro-cultured Brachythecium plumosum and the most effective kinetin concentration was 10-8 to 10-7 M.