IN-VITRO REGENERATION AND MULTIPLICATION OF SAFFLOWER (CARTHAMUS-TINCTORIUS L)

We have developed a useful system for direct shoot regeneration from p rimary seedling explants and immature embryos of the American safflowe r (Carthamus tinctorius L.) cultivar. Centennial. Direct shoot regener ation from primary explants was optimal on Murashige and Skoog [1] (MS ) basal salts medium containing 0.1 mg/l 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA ) and 0.5 mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) or 0.1 mg/l thidiazuron (TDZ) . Numbers of regenerated shoots were comparable on media containing BA P or TDZ, although TDZ medium was superior in reducing shoot hyperhydr icity and permitting multiple harvests of regenerated shoots from prim ary explants. Shoot regeneration from immature embryos was observed on MS medium containing NAA and TDZ. For shoot multiplication, numerous axillary shoots were obtained from 1 cm long internodal seedling shoot sections on MS medium containing 1 mg/l 2-isopentenyladenine (2iP). S hoots regenerated from primary Montola and Centennial seedling explant s were rooted on 0.5X MS medium containing 1 mg/l NAA and successfully transferred to the greenhouse.