Articles
* VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION OF ALSTROEMERIA HYBRIDS IN VITRO
The cultivar Toledo was used in most experiments, but later other cultivars were also tested.
The basic culture medium for rhizome isolation and for rhizome multiplication was: Murashige and Skoog (MS) macro- and micro-salts at full strength (except Fe), NaFeEDTA 25 mg/l, saccharose 3%, BA 2–4 mg/l vitamin B1 0.4 mg/l, and Difco Bacto-agar 0.7 %. The basic culture medium for rooting was slightly different: saccharose 5%, BA was omitted and 0.5 mg/l NAA was added.
Rhizome cultures were placed at 21°C and 8 h fluorescent light/16 h darkness.
Rooting was carried out at 21°C and 16 h fluorescent light/8 h darkness.
Rhizome multiplication required a cytokinin in the medium; BA and PBA were most effective, whereas kinetin, 2iP, and zeatin were not very effective.
BA at 2–4 mg/l partially suppressed erect shoot growth and stimulated rhizome branching.
Addition of auxin had no effect on rhizome multiplication.
Relative small rhizome explants (with one bud) had a higher multiplication rate than large ones.
Optimal rhizome multiplication required 3 week cycles of subculturing; cycles of 4, 5 and 6 weeks being less productive.
The multiplication rate was increased by growing the rhizomes in liquid media; however, this resulted in vitrification.
Excised rhizome explants can be rooted by subculturing rhizome explants on cytokinin-free media containing auxin.
Generally NAA (optimum 0.5 mg/l) induced better rooting than IBA. In vitro rooted plants were successfully transferred to the greenhouse and developed into normal flowering plants.