In Vitro Culture and Plant Regeneration in Vicia faba subsp. Equina (var. Spring Blaze)

Explants of stem, leaves, roots, and cotyledons from etiolatedaxenically grown Vicia faba seedlings were cultured on a rangeof media. Shoot organogenesis was only obtained with nodal stemand cotyledonary node explants when cultured on MS medium with3% sucrose, 2.0 mg 1^–1 BAP and 02 mg 1^–1 NAA. Callusproliferation accompanied shoot organogenesis from nodal stemexplants. Successive subculture of nodal stem callus resultedin proliferation of regenerative callus which contained severalshoot bud initials. The capacity for shoot regeneration fromthis callus was maintained for 9 months. Histological studiesreveal de novo formation of meristematic centres in callus andtheir further development into bud primordia. High frequencyrooting of these adventitious shoots was obtained on half-strengthMS medium with 1.5% sucrose, 0.1 mg 1^–1 NAA and 0.5 mg1^–1 kinetin. Key words: Vicia faba, adventitious shoots, axillary shoots, de novomeristem formation, organogenesis, tissue culture     

Morphogenic Potential of Cultured Floral Explants of Crocus sativus L. for the In Vitro Production of Saffron

Explants of immature ovaries, stigmas, anthers and petals ofCrocus sativus were cultured on White's media supplemented witheither NAA and zeatin or 2,4-D and BAP in various combinations.The formation of stigma-like structures occurred on the explantsor on the callus derived from the explants, but this was onlyobserved when NAA and zeatin were used. Formation of stigma-likestructures were observed on anthers, petals, stigmas and half-ovaries,with the best result being obtained on explants consisting ofhalf-ovaries cultured on medium containing NAA at 40 mg dm^–3and zeatin at 4.0 mg dm^–3. These stigmas developed anintense orange pigment and grew to 3.0 cm in length and hada strong saffron aroma. A preliminary comparison using thinlayer chromatography of the yellow pigments produced by thestigma-like structures grown in vitro and those grown naturallyshowed the pigment composition to be similar. Key words: Crocus sativus L., explants, NAA, zeatin, saffron     

Morphogenic Potential of Cultured Explants of Crocus chrysanthus Herbert. cv. E. P. Bowles

Explants of leaves, basal plates, petals, anthers and ovariesof young growing corms of Crocus chrysanthus var. E. P. Bowleswere cultured on MS basal media with 20 different combinationsof either kinetin and NAA or BAP and 2, 4-D in the dark. Nomajor change was observed except on ovary explants. The ovaryexplants produced callus at 5.0 mg 1^–1 and 10 mg^–1BAP and subsequently stigma-like structures formed on the surfaceof the callus. Transfer to light resulted in the stigma-likestructures developing a yellow pigmentation whereupon they cameto resemble the naturally-grown stigmas. Corm formation andshoot regeneration was obtained from the callus when the ovaryexplants were cultured on media containing 5.0 and 10 mg I^–1BAP with 0.5 mg 1^–1 2, 4-D. Increasing the level of 2,4-D markedly reduced the number of shoots produced per explant. Key words: Crocus chrysanthus, callus, ovary explants