In vitro propagation of Tulbaghia simmleri

Abstract

Leaf, peduncle and bulb scale expiants were excised from Tulbaghia simmleri Beauv. and placed on modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with various concentrations of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), benzyladenine (BA), thidiazuron (TDZ), kinetin and 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D), Only peduncle and bulb expiants produced adventitious buds, and in the case of twin scales, axillary shoots. For peduncle expiants 1 mg I −1 NAA, and the combination of 0.1 mg I −1 TDZ and 1 mg I −1 2,4-D gave the best response. TDZ (0.5 mg I −1 ) proved to be optimal for bulb expiants. Shoot initiation using twin scales was most successful and took place within four weeks. For shoot elongation and multiplication, shoots were transferred to MS medium containing kinetin (1 mg I −1 ) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) (2 mg I −1 ). After four weeks the shoots were rooted on MS medium supplemented with 1 mg I −1 IAA. Shoots formed on peduncle expiants were after 16 weeks transferred to MS medium containing 0.2% activated charcoal (AC) for root initiation. The plantlets were successfully hardened off in vermiculile in the misthouse.