Use of antibiotics to optimize micropropagation of Betula pendula var. carelica Merckl

Dependence of the regenerative capacity of single-bud segments of Betula pendula Roth. var. carelica Merckl. shoots on the presence of some antibiotics in a nutrient medium is discussed in the paper. Methods: cell culture in vitro; statistical analysis. Β-lactam antibiotics are optimal at the stage of multiplication of Karelian birch in vitro with use of single-bud shoot segments as explants. Addition of carbenicillin (500 mg/l) and/or cefotaxime (500 mg/l) to the growth medium allows to support visually clean tissue culture with no significant negative impact on morphometric parameters and viability of micro-plants.