THE EFFECT OF JASMONIC ACID, SUCROSE AND DARKNESS ON GARLIC (ALLIUM-SATIVUM L. CV PTUJSKI-JESENSKI) BULB FORMATION IN-VITRO

The effect of sucrose, jasmonic acid (JA) and darkness on bulb formati on of garlic Allium sativum L. cv. Ptujski jesenski was studied in vit ro. B5 medium supplemented with 3% sucrose, 5 mu M JA and 5 mu M 2-iso pentenyl adenine (2iP) was used for shoot induction on garlic basal pl ates. For bulb induction, explants with developed shoots were transfer red onto media with 3% or 8% sucrose in the presence or absence of 5 m u M JA. Sucrose (8%) significantly increased the percentage of shoots which formed bulbs by 86-90%, bulb diameter and the number of bulbs pe r basal plate. On medium supplemented with JA, the average number of b ulbs per basal plate was 115. Growth of explants in the dark was ineff ective for stimulating bulb formation. Simultaneous use of JA and sucr ose can improve garlic micropropagation via bulb formation, without in termediate callus formation.