Effect of temperature,gel concentration and cytokinins on vitrification of Olearia microdisca (J.M. Black) in vitro shoot cultures

The alkaloid content and profile of roots and aerial parts of diploid, haploid and hypohaploid plants of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia regenerated in vitro from leaf explants was determined by enzyme immunoassay and gas chromatography. Roots and buds separately neoformed in vitro were examined by the same methods. An interesting trait was found: buds, even without roots, contained alkaloids. Each of the tested hypohaploids exhibited a peculiar alkaloid content and profile compared to diploid and haploid genotypes, confirming the novel character of these hypohaploids. No correlation was observed between the degree of ploidy and the alkaloid content or profile.