Plant regeneration fromin vitro leaf culture of severalGerbera species

Efficient bud regeneration was obtained from a clone ofGerbera hybrida Bol. L. leaf explants cultured on modified Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 10 µM benzyladenine and 2.5 µM naphthalenacetic acid. The morphogenic potential varied with the developmental stage of the leaves. Up to 90% of excised developing leaves formed 3 to 5 shoots per explant. Bud regeneration was not obtained on the same medium with fully expanded leaves. Addition of 0.05 µM or 0.5 µM thidiazuron to the above medium significantly promoted regeneration from mature leaves but was ineffective for similar explants of a recalcitrant clone. The two wild speciesG. viridifolia Schultz Bip. andG. piloselloides L. Cass. also displayed specific multiplication habits and regeneration abilities. Bud regeneration occurred from callus. Chromosome counts and DNA flow cytometry indicated that all the regenerants were typically diploid, as were the various tissues of the mother plants. Afterin vitro rooting and acclimatization, no phenotypic variations were detected among the regenerants during both their vegetative and reproductive phases.