VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION IN VITRO FROM SEEDLINGS OF F₁ HYBRIDS OF PELARGONIUM X HORTORUM BAILEY

The objective of this experiment was to study vegetative propagation in vitro of seven types of Pelargonium hybrids F₁ from seedlings and to test the comportment during germ plasm collection in regards to conformity.

Firstly, axillary budding, after leaves and roots suppression, was stimulated in presence of isopentenyladenine 0.5 mg/l.
Intensity of shoots production was dependent from hybrids and seedlings but declined after 12 subcultures accordingly to genotypes.
Callus formation was not avoided and connected with a high percentage of abnormal plants in greenhouse (35 %).

Secondly, nodal zones (or cuttings) from in vitro rooted mother plants were cultured and gave rise, seven months after isolation, to flowering plants; the percentage of variations (chimerism, abnormal morphology…) was lowered to 16 %.

Germ plasm collection in cold storage (8° C and 8 h light) was not possible, as senescence and deterioration occured after three months.

In conclusion, cloning of Pelargonium X hortorum hybrids F₁ requires a careful conformity control for germ plasm establishment (20° C, 16 h light) or initiation of mass propagation programme.

In Vitro Culture, XXI IHC

C. Bigot

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1983.131.5