Abstract
This study examines the effects of light emitting diodes (LEDs) on tissue culture proliferation of Acacia melanoxylon plantlets among five different clones (FM(1), FM(2), FM(4), FM(5), and FM(10)). Shoot bud apex cuttings were transplanted onto Murashige and Skoog basal medium containing 0.1 mg L(-1) 6-benzyladenine and 0.5 mg L(-1) naphthalene acetic acid and cultured in vitro for 40 days. Root growth was studied under different light intensities and photoperiods ex vitro. The bud proliferation coefficient was greatest under a light intensity of 45 μmol m(-2) s(-1) photosynthetic photon flux and photoperiod of 16 h light, but decreased as the light intensity increased. However, the greatest light intensity was beneficial for the growth of robust plantlets. Plantlets exposed to red and blue LED combinations grew tall and green, with a small number of roots. Plantlets also grew taller and some roots expanded under the longer photoperiod. Increased light intensity had positive effects on root number and rooting rate, and prolonged light greatly increased root number. Therefore, lower light intensity and a short photoperiod were beneficial for bud proliferation, while red/blue LED combinations, increased light intensity, and longer light illumination were beneficial for plantlet growth and root growth of Acacia melanoxylon.