Details of Current Research

Cryopreservation usually involves a sequential combination of steps which must be optimised to limit the stresses experienced by specimens during the cryopreservation process and thus promote survival, especially for recalcitrant germplasm. The present study investigates the effects of some of the steps involved in cryopreservation on the survival of the embryos of selected members of Amaryllidaceae, viz Ammocharis coranica, Brunsvigia grandiflora and Haemanthus albiflos, which are all very recalcitrant. The methods focus on the effects of rapid dehydration (flash drying), the use of different cryoprotectant additives, and that of different cooling rates, with the ultimate aim of establishing a protocol(s) for the successful cryopreservation of these species.

Publications

NGOBESE, N.Z., SERSHEN, PAMMENTER, N.W. and BERJAK, P. (2010) Cryopreservation of the embryonic axes of Phoenix reclinata, a representative of the intermediate seed category. Seed Science and Technology 38, 705-717.