REGENERATION OF PLANTLETS THROUGH ORGANOGENESIS IN THE HIMALAYAN YELLOW POPPY, MECONOPSIS-PANICULATA

Plantlet formation through organogenesis in callus cultures of Himalay an yellow poppy, Meconopsis paniculata D.Don (Prain), a threatened tax on of ornamental value, is described. Hypocotyl segments from 3-month- old laboratory-raised seedlings produced callus on agar-solidified Mur ashige and Skoog medium (MS) containing 10 mu M alpha-naphthaleneaceti c acid and 1 mu M kinetin. Shoots differentiated best from callus on M S containing 10 mu M indolebutyric acid (IBA) and 1 mu M 6-benzyladeni ne. The regenerated shoots rooted best on MS medium containing 10 mu M IBA. From seed germination to differentiation of plantlets through th e two-step organogenesis process required 28-29 weeks.