PLANT-REGENERATION FROM INVITRO LEAF CULTURE OF SEVERAL GERBERA SPECIES

Efficient bud regeneration was obtained from a clone of Gerbera hybrid a Bol. L. leaf explants culture on modified Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 10 muM benzyladenine and 2.5 muM naphthalenacetic a cid. The morphogenic potential varied with the developmental stage of the leaves. Up to 90% of excised developing leaves formed 3 to 5 shoot s per explant. Bud regeneration was not obtained on the same medium wi th fully expanded leaves. Addition of 0.05 muM or 0.5 muM thidiazuron to the above medium significantly promoted regeneration from mature le aves but was ineffective for similar explants of a recalcitrant clone. The two wild species G. viridifolia Schultz Bip. and G. piloselloides L. Cass. also displayed specific multiplication habits and regenerati on abilities. Bud regeneration occurred from callus. Chromosome counts and DNA flow cytometry indicated that all the regenerants were typica lly diploid, as were the various tissues of the mother plants. After i n vitro rooting and acclimatization, no phenotypic variations were det ected among the regenerants during both their vegetative and reproduct ive phases.