Effects of temperature and illuminating conditions on regeneration and development of bulblets in scale culture of seven Lilium spp.

Excised scales of lily bulbs were kept at 15 degrees C and 25 degrees C,and under continuous light or dark to study the regeneration and development o f bulblets. The seven species were examined: Lilium rubellum Baker, L. spec iosum Thunb. 'Uchida', L. nobilissimum Makino, L. formosanum Wallace. L. lo ngiflorum Thunb. 'Hinomoto', L maculatum Thunb., and the Asiatic hybrid L. X 'Benisugata'. 1. Generally, more bulblets were regenerated at 25 degrees C than at. 15 de grees C in all Lilium spp: bulblets of L. rubellum and L. X 'Benisugata' we re formed equally well at 15 degrees C and 25 degrees C. Regardless of temp eratures, more bulblets of L. formosanum, L. longiflorum 'Hinomoto', and L. X 'Benisugata' regenerated in the light more than they did in the dark. 2. Regenerated bulblets grew better under light at 25 degrees C than at 15 degrees C and the light stimulated the formation of scaly leaves from bulbl ets of all species and cultivars, except in L, nobilissimum. In L. nobiliss imum, bulblets failed to form scaly leaves under any cultural conditions. G rowth of bulblets of L, formosanum, L. longiflorum' Hinomoto', and L. macul atum was promoted in darkness? whereas the bulblets of L. rubellum and L. n obilissimum grew best under light at 25 degrees C. 3. Bulblets regenerated at 15 degrees C tended to rot during cold treatment s compared with those regenerated at 25 degrees C, and the latter bulblets sprouted more frequently than the former ones after transplantation in a gr eenhouse.