MICROPROPAGATION OF COWANIA-SUBINTEGRA AND COWANIA-STANSBURIANA

Both Cowania subintegra Kearney and C. stansburiana Torr. were success fully propagated in vitro. Shoot proliferation occurred from shoot tip s of green-house grown C. subintegra using a modified Murashige and Sk oog medium supplemented with 4.4 mu M 6-benzyladenine and 0.5 mu M ind ole butyric acid. Excised microshoots (1.5-3.0 cm long) of both specie s were rooted using a two-step process in which they were cultured for 3 days in a root initiation medium with 2.7 mu M naphthaleneacetic ac id and then transferred to a low nitrogen root elongation medium witho ut auxin. Plantlets were successfully transferred to soilless potting mix.