Organogenesis and plant regeneration of cyclamen persicum mill. in vitro

Thirteen week old F₁ hybrid cyclamen seedlings which had been germinated axenically were divided into cotyledon, cotyledon petiole, and tuber explants. Explants were cultured on modifi-cations of Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with an auxin (lAA, NAA or 2,4-D) and a cytokinin (BA or kinetin) in order to establish callus cultures. Petiole tissue produced large masses of callus when the growth regulator combination of 0.5 mg 1^-1 NAA and 2.5 mg 1^-1 BA was included in the medium, whereas prolific callus growth occurred on tuber tissue cultured in the presence of 2.5 mg 1^-1 NAA and 0.5 mg 1^-1 kinetin. Shoots were produced sporadically on explants cultured in the presence of NAA (1.0 mg 1^-1) and BA (1.0 mg 1^-1), BA alone (1.0 mg 1^-1), or kinetin (0.5 mg 1^-1), but were produced more consistently and in higher numbers on explants cultured on Wicart medium supplemented with NAA (0.5 mg 1^-1) and BA (2.5 mg 1^-1). Root formation was promoted on explants cultured in the presence of NAA (0.5 or 2.5 mg 1^-1). Plantlets were successfully regen-erated both through callus tissue and directly from parent tissue. A small number of propagules were established in vitro, and were subsequently established as freely growing in vivo plants.