PLANT-REGENERATION FROM VARIOUS EXPLANTS OF CULTIVATED PIPER SPECIES

Morphogenetic potential of root, leaf, node and internode explants of 3 cultivated Piper species was investigated to develop a reliable plan t regeneration protocol. P. longum (pipli) was the most responsive fol lowed by P. betle (betel vine) and P. nigrum (black pepper). In P. lon gum the highest number of shoot buds was produced on root explants fol lowed by node, internode and leaf explants. In P. betle and P. nigrum adventitious shoot buds differentiated only from internodal and nodal ring regions, respectively. Histological examination in P. longum show ed that adventitious shoot buds originate directly from the cortical c ells of the root and the internode without an intervening callus phase . Benzyladenine was superior to kinetin for shoot induction and its op timum concentrations for P. longum, P. betle and P. nigrum were 1-2, 1 0 and 10 mu M, respectively. Shoot elongation and rooting were achieve d in B-5 medium containing 0.5 mu M henzyladenine and 1 mu M indoleace tic acid, respectively. Regenerated plants were established in soil.