Vegetative propagation of freesia through callus cultures.

Isolated segments of corm, stem, leaf, flower bud and anther from flowering freesia plants, cv. Ballerina, were induced to form callus on a modified Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with NAA and 6-(benzylamino)-9-(2-tetrahydropyranyl)-9H-purine (PBA). Callus induction was best with young flower buds kept at 25 deg C in darkness. Callus could be sub-cultured in darkness on a medium containing auxin and cytokinin. Complete plantlets were obtained either by transferring the callus to light on an auxin-free medium containing kinetin or PBA, or from young anthers. Adventitious organ formation in explants and callus was closely related to the auxin/cytokinin ratio in the medium, rooting being promoted by auxins and bud formation by cytokinins. Root and bud formation were greater in light than in darkness. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission

Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry 1 : Trees 1

Berlinxv, 515 p.; illus.; 24 cm