2.1.1. Plant material
Avocado plants were produced (a) from germinated seed (GS) of
cv. Topa-Topa (principal avocado rootstock in southern Spain)
grown in 5 L pots containing a substrate (SPS) consisting of sand:-
peat:silt (1:2:1 v/v/v) for 24 months or (b) from 5-month embryo
cultures in vitro (EC) (Pliego Alfaro, 1988), that were acclimatized
in ex vitro conditions (López Herrera et al., 1992) on 1.15 L pots
containing ‘Laura substrate’ (LS) (peat:coconut fiber:perlite;
6:1:0.6 v/v/v) and amended with 1.3 mL of Osmocote Plus Mini
(16 + 8 + 11 + 2MgO + TE, longevity 3–4 months) per L of substrate
and grown for a minimum of 8 weeks in controlled temperature
room (CTR) (22–24 C, RH > 80%, 16:8 L:D photoperiod and light
intensity of 9000 lux prior to inoculation.