IN VITRO BULBLET REGENERATION FROM SCILLA SIBERICA Haw. subsp. armena (Grossh.) Mordak PEDUNCLE

Abstract

Attractive blue-flowering Scilla siberica subsp. armena bulbs multiply very slowly in 4-5 years under natural conditions. Therefore, this study aimed to accelerate multiplication by devising a strategy for an efficient in vitro bulblet regeneration system using peduncle and bulb scale explants on MS medium containing 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, and 2.00 mg l-1 TDZ, plus 0.10 or 0.20 mg l-1 2,4-D (8 combinations). Bulb scale explants were difficult to culture due to high fungal infection and were, therefore, discarded. The peduncle explants induced direct bulblet regeneration after swelling on explants. Maximum mean number of bulblets and bulb diameter was acheived on MS medium containing 1.00 mg l-1 TDZ + 0.20 mg l-1 2,4-D. The regenerated bulblets were isolated from peduncle explants and cultured on MS medium containing 40 g l-1 sucrose, where they grew in diameter and rooted.