IMPROVEMENT OF ADVENTITIOUS SHOOT FORMATION FROM CARNATION LEAF EXPLANTS

Adventitious shoot formation from leaf explants of carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) was investigated. The two leaves from one node of in vitro-grown plants showed different shoot-forming potential, dependin g on the order in which the leaves were removed from the stem. The lea f removed second formed more shoots and also had a large amount of adh ering stem tissue. Explants with equal amounts of adhering stem tissue were obtained by making two incisions through the fused leaf bases, p rior to their removal, resulting in an improved shoot formation. The p rocedure developed for leaf explants from in vitro-grown plants was al so applied to leaf explants from greenhouse-grown plants. Shoot format ion from leaf explants taken from greenhouse-grown plants was further improved by cutting the leaf explant longitudinally into two parts.