PLANT-REGENERATION VIA ADVENTITIOUS BUD FORMATION FROM COTYLEDON EXPLANTS OF PANAX-GINSENG MEYER,C.A

Cotyledon explants of ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) produced som atic embryos directly on medium without growth regulators, with 89% of the explants forming somatic embryos. Cytokinin treatment greatly sup pressed somatic embryo formation but stimulated the direct formation o f adventitious buds. BAP treatment was more effective than the kinetin treatment for adventitious bud formation. Auxin(0.05 mg/l IBA) in com bination with cytokinin enhanced adventitious bud formation, with the highest frequency, 40%, at 0.05 mg/l IBA and 5 mg/l BAP. Adventitious buds were mainly formed near the distal portion of the cotyledons, whi le somatic embryos were formed near the proximal excised margins. Shoo ts were developed from adventitious buds after transfer to MS medium w ith 10 mg/l GA(3). Root formation from the shoots was obtained after t he shoots were transferred to half-strength MS medium with auxin (IAA) . When the plants derived from adventitious buds were transferred to g reenhouse soil, 36% were successfully acclimatized.