Background:

A protocol for the micropropagation of the grape (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivar ‘Monastrell’ was developed. Initial plant material was obtained from the sanitary selection of grapevine plants performed by real-time RT-PCR to confirm the absence of Grapevine fanleaf virus, Arabis mosaic virus, Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 1, Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3, and Grapevine fleck virus.

Results:

The effects of the salt composition (comparing Lloyd and McCown woody plant medium and Murashige and Skoog medium 1/2 macronutrients) and the growth regulator benzylaminopurine (BAP), at 0 and 8.9 μM, on plant propagation were evaluated using nodes as explants. The most efficient procedure consisted of bud induction in the medium with Lloyd and McCown woody plant salts and 8.9 μM BAP for 30 d along with elongation in cytokinin-free medium for 60 d, which gave 22 nodes/explant (174 plants/initial plant). A second cycle of propagation in a medium without BAP for another 60 d could give approximately 10,000 nodes, which can be obtained after an additional 2 months of culture. All plants acclimatized after the second cycle of multiplication were successfully transferred to soil.

Conclusion:

We developed an optimal protocol for V. vinifera cv. ‘Monastrell’ micropropagation, the first described for this cultivar.