PRODUCTION OF MULTIPLE SHOOTS FROM SHOOT APICAL MERISTEMS OF OAT (AVENA-SATIVA L)

An efficient and reproducible in vitro culture system for differentiat ion of multiple shoots was established from shoot apical meristems in oat. Shoot apices as initial explants were isolated from aseptically-g erminated oat seedlings, and were cultured in vitro. After four to fiv e weeks in culture, the apical meristems inside of the primary and axi llary shoots were enlarged. Multiple shoots were produced via differen tiation of adventitious shoots from the enlarged apical meristems. The multiple shoots were induced and maintained on MS basal medium with v arious combinations of 2,4-D and BA. All four oat cultivars tested dif ferentiated multiple shoots from shoot apical meristems at a high freq uency. Fertile oat plants were produced from in vitro multiple shoots. These in vitro multiple shoots would be an alternative regenerable ta rget tissue for genetic transformation of oat.