Seasonality of Leaf and Fig Production in Ficus squamosa, a Fig Tree with Seeds Dispersed by Water.

The phenology of plants reflects selection generated by seasonal climatic factors and interactions with other plants and animals, within constraints imposed by their phylogenetic history. Fig trees (Ficus) need to produce figs year-round to support their short-lived fig wasp pollinators, but this requirement is partially de-coupled in dioecious species, where female trees only develop seeds, not pollinator offspring. This allows female trees to concentrate seed production at more favorable times of the year. Ficus squamosa is a riparian species whose dispersal is mainly by water, rather than animals. Seeds can float and travel in long distances. We recorded the leaf and reproductive phenology of 174 individuals for three years in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand. New leaves were produced throughout the year. Fig production occurred year-round, but with large seasonal variations that correlated with temperature and rainfall. Female and male trees initiated maximal fig crops at different times, with production in female trees confined mainly to the rainy season and male figs concentrating fig production in the preceding months, but also often bearing figs continually. Ficus squamosa concentrates seed production by female plants at times when water levels are high, favouring dispersal by water, and asynchronous flowering within male trees allow fig wasps to cycle there, providing them with potential benefits by maintaining pollinators for times when female figs become available to pollinate.

Organogenesis on apical buds in common fig (Ficus carica) var. Black Jack

BACKGROUND Plant tissue culture involves the use of explants obtained from plants to induce organogenesis with the help of plant growth regulators (PGRs). Micropropagation techniques provide a faster and economical solution to the limitations associated with traditional methods of plant cultivation. The present study focuses on the multiple shoot induction and proliferation of Ficus carica var. Black Jack. Factors that influence the growth of in vitro multiple shoots on the apical buds, which include growth media and PGRs, were investigated in this study. Different concentrations of cytokinins like 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), Thidiazuron (TDZ), and Kinetin (Kin) were used on woody plant medium (WPM) for the optimization of media for multiple shoot induction and proliferation. RESULTS Apical buds of Ficus carica var. Black Jack growing in WPM supplemented with BAP produced the healthiest plantlets, with the highest number of multiple shoots. The most efficient medium composition which produced the highest number of multiple shoots (37.8) per growing explant was WPM supplemented with 20 mM BAP. Proliferated multiple shoots were efficiently rooted using WPM + 20 mM BAP + 8 mM indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). This optimized medium composition significantly enhanced the production of multiple, disease-free plantlets using single apical bud explants of Ficus carica var. Black Jack. CONCLUSIONS In the present study the observations indicate that WPM supplemented with 20 mM BAP is the best-suited medium for organogenesis and multiple shoot culture of Ficus carica var. Black Jack, and this technique can be potentially applied for commercialization of the plant

Efficient transformation and regeneration of fig (Ficus carica L.) via somatic embryogenesis.

Fig is one of the most important fruit trees in Egypt. It used to constitute the major source of income for the inhabitants of the western north coast of Egypt. Since 1993 fig cultivations were threatened by a number of factors including virus, insect and mite infections. An efficient system for regeneration and transformation of the common fig Ficus carica L. cultivar Sultani (fresh consumption) was required to conserve fig cultivation in the area. The effect of different combinations of BA and NAA/2,4-D and kinetin on callus formation from leaf segments were studied. Results showed that the best medium for callus formation was MS supplemented with 2.0 mg/l 2,4-D and 0.2 mg/l kinetin. The best plantlet differentiation was obtained at concentrations of 30 mg/l 2iP and 7 mg/l TDZ with 0.25 mg/l NAA (with a regeneration efficiency of 83 and 79%, respectively). On the other hand, the obtained callus failed to induce organogenesis on media containing a combination of BA and kinetin. The highest shoot formation percentage (89%) was obtained when using 2 mg/l TDZ and 4 mg/l 2iP. The highest percentage of shoots forming roots (95%) was obtained when using MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/l IBA. Explants were transformed using Agrobacterium and microprojectile bombardment using the plasmid pISV2678 which harbors the gus-intron and bar genes. Results showed that the highest transformation efficiency using the Agrobacterium (17.5%) was obtained when explants were co-cultivated with the bacteria for 30 min. The highest transformation efficiency recorded using the microprojectile bombardment (12%) was obtained with 2.0 µg DNA per shot at 1,100 psi and a distance of 6 cm repeated twice. The transgenic nature of regenerated plants was confirmed by PCR analysis, histochemical GUS assay and leaf painting assay.