MICROPROPAGATION OF 4 GENTIANA SPECIES (GENTIANA-LUTEA, GENTIANA-CRUCIATA, GENTIANA-PURPUREA AND GENTIANA-ACAULIS)

The growth of axillary shoots was initiated on nodal stem segments, ex cised from aseptically grown seedlings of Gentiana acaulis L., G. cruc iata L., G. lutea L. and G. purpurea I,. In later subcultures, a basal callus tissue developed on the shoots, giving rise to de novo formed buds. Optimum benzyladenine and indoleacetic acid combinations for sho ot development were established. They were slightly different in the f our species. From 35-70% of shoots rooted spontaneously, except in G. lutea, in which adventitious roots were induced by applying naphthalen eacetic acid. It was conduded that the four Gentiana species were amen able to propagation in vitro.