Abstract
The quality of micropropagated ornamental bulbous and cormous plants (Freesia sp., Hyacinthus sp., Lilium sp., Cyclamen sp.) under the influence of varying light regimes (blue, green, yellow, red, far-red, white, UV irradiation and darkness) was studied in long term cultures. Red and yellow light promoted ernbryogenic callus formation and proliferatior as well as somatic embryo maturation regardless of genotypes. Blue light and ultraviolet radiation stimulated development of somatic embryos but inhibited maturation of somatic embryos (Freesia, Hyacinthus and Cyclamen), The number of adventitious bulbs (Hyacinthus) or corms (Freesia) was highest when explants were irradiated with red light or cultured in darkness. The bulbs formed in these conditions were mature and well developed. They consisted of scales exclusively, Blue light as well as UV irradiation resulted in smaller bulbs that were less numerous and their outer scales formed leaf shaped structures (Hyacinthus). However, blue and green lights had a positive effect on the number of adventitious buds and fresh weight of adventitious shoots (Freesia, Hyacinthus, Cyclamen) as well as formation of adventitious bulbs in Lilium sp. As far as the level of pigments is concerned, it was observed that blue light enhanced the total amount of anthocyanins while both blue light and UV irradiation promoted the production of chlorophyll a and b.
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