The application of leafy explant micropropagation protocol in enhancing the multiplication efficiency of Alstroemeria

Six tetraploid Alstroemeria clones were micropropagated by rhizome multipli cation, a system whereby the shoots were cut off from the rhizome and disca rded. In a three-week subculture interval, the average rhizome multiplicati on rate for all genotypes was 2.3. In one selected genotype the discarded s hoots were used to initiate another micropropagation system: the leafy expl ant micropropagation system. In this system the leaves with axils and stem tissue were cut off the discarded shoots and cultured for 10 days in shoot induction medium followed by subculture on shooting medium for the formatio n of adventitious shoots. From the discarded shoots of one rhizome explant, on an average 1.1 leafy explants could be excised. Thus, combining the rhi zome micropropagation together with the leafy explant micropropagation, the total number of explants were enhanced twice. Regenerated plants from both micropropagation systems were grown in the greenhouse to maturity. Plants regenerated from leafy explants were morphologically identical to those ori ginated from the rhizome micropropagation. The leafy explant micropropagati on protocol was not only suitable for in vitro grown explants of different genotypes, but also applicable to in vive grown explants. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.