MICROPROPAGATION OF 3 HELIANTHUS WILD PERENNIAL SPECIES

Three wild sunflowers: H. giganteus, H. x laetiflorus, H. pauciflorus, were successfully ill vitro propagated using surface sterilized rhizo mes as primary exp]ants. Subsequently plant propagation was achieved v ia cultivation of nodal explants on hormone free medium. The cut nodes rooted spontaneously followed in most cases by the emergence of two s hoots per node from the axillary buds. In vitro grown plants showed no rmal morphology and could be easily adapted to greenhouse conditions. For somatic cell fusion with H. annuus L. protoplasts an enzyme mixtur e was established releasing protoplasts from leaf material of all geno types.