Micropropagation of lemon balm

Traditional propagation of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) is inefficient for establishing a good quality clonal population. Results of the presented experiments outline an effective method for micropropagation of this species. Following culture initiation from shoots of field-grown plants on growth regulator free Murashige–Skoog medium, rapid shoot multiplication with only rudimentary root formation could be achieved on media containing various concentrations of indole-3-acetic acid and 6-benzyladenine. The combination of 5.71 μM indole-3-acetic acid and 6.66 μM 6-benzyladenine resulted in the best multiplication. Transfer of propagules to media containing indole-3-acetic acid and kinetin did not result in shoot proliferation; however, single plantlets grown on media containing 5.71 μM indole-3-acetic acid and 13.9 μM kinetin developed more compact shoots and stronger roots than the control plants and were suitable for acclimatisation with an efficiency over 95%. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.