DEVELOPMENT OF SHOOT PRIMORDIA IN TISSUE-CULTURE OF PAPAVER-SOMNIFERUM L

The first step during shoot primordia development in Papaver somniferu m L. was the differentiation of globular meristemoids, resulting from localized cell division in callus tissue. During meristemoid maturatio n differences observed were in mitotic activity, cytoplasmic density, starch distribution, and in cell size, cell shape, and nucleus size to cell size ratio between peripheral and central meristemoid cells. Cel l specialization within the meristemoids is a prerequisite for shoot p rimordia development.