Efficient in vitro regeneration and genetic fidelity analysis of shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa Gaertn) using ISSR markers

Background: Shea tree is an economically valuable tree crop in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries due to its seed oil, known as shea butter. Rapid propagation of superior shea trees through in vitro culture is essential to support domestication and conservation efforts. This study aimed to establish an efficient in vitro propagation protocol for the regeneration of shea true-to-type plantlets. Nodal explants were cultured o benzylaminopurine (BAP) induction. Rooting was test (MS1B) media, enriched wi n half-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6and/or kinetin (Kin) combined with 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) for shoot ed on half-and quarter-strength MS and full-and half-strength modified MS th indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) alone or combined with NAA, IAA, meta-topolin (mT), and putrescine. Gen repeat (ISSR) markers. Results: The results showed regeneration of axillary shoots taining 3:0.1:40 mg/mL IBA:m polymorphism of the ISSR ma phism information content wa ers were obtained. All marker Conclusions: The micropropagation protocol proposed in this study is suitable for large-scale in vitro regeneration of shea without genetic alteration. However, further studies are needed for the induction of multiple micros-hoots. etic fidelity of regenerated plants was assessed using inter-simple sequence that MS/2 medium containing 3:1.2:1 mg/L BAP:Kin:NAA gave the best . Four-week-old axillary shoots were 100% rooted on MS1B/2 medium conT:putrescine. Rooted plantlets were successfully acclimated in vivo. The rkers ranged from 50 to 87.5%, with an average of 65%, and the polymors 0.22. For genetic fidelity assessment, 34 scorable and reproducible markswere monomorphic and identical to the mother plant.