The present studies were carried out in order to develop techniques for clonal propagati on of freesia by meristem culture. Cultivar “Rijnveld′s Golden Yellow” was used.
The following results were obtained;
1. Only the axillary buds of corm formed good callus and other tissues such as cortex, cortex and central cylinder, or the base of new stem failed to form callus. The culture medium favourable for callus formati on was constituted as follows: Hyponex (7-6-19) 2g, bacto-peptore 2g, bacto-tryptone 2g, myo-inositol 100mg, thiamin-HCl 0.4mg, NAA 2mg, sucrose 30g, agar 10g, water 1000ml.
2. Multiplication of callus was possible via the above-mentioned medium for which Sucrose was revised from 30g to 10-20g and NAA revised from 2mg to 0-2mg, the medium being supplemented with Kinetin 2-20mg.
3. Differentiation of shoot and root from callus occurred after spherical shoot primordia were formed. The formation of shoot primordia was promoted by supplementing the medium with Sucrose 20g, NAA 0-2mg and Kinetin 20mg. The number of shoot primordia increased remarkably through subculture. The shoot primordium morphologically resembled the early stages of corm originating from seed.
4. Shoot growth from the shoot primordium occurred for a medium containing IAA 0.2-1mg and Kinetin 2mg. After shoot growth, roots were formed easily at the base of a shoot by placing it in a medium containing NAA 2-10mg.
5. The plantlets obtained were planted in the 15cm clay pots, and after six months, new corms were produced. Then these corms were planted in the fall, and they flowered normally in the following spring.