IN VITRO BULBLET INDUCTION FROM BULB SCALES OF ENDANGERED ORNAMENTAL PLANT MUSCARI AZUREUM

Muscari azureum with beautiful white and sky blue flowers is an important endangered ornamental plant of Turkey and needs exploitation for commercial propagation. 2-4 bulb scale explants of M. azureum were cultured in basal media supplemented with 2 mg/l 2,4-D, 20 g/l mannitol, 20 g/l sucrose, 0.5 mg/l NAA and different concentrations of BAP KIN, 2iP and TDZ plus 2 g/l gelrite. The best regeneration on 2 or 4 scales and the highest mean number of bulblets per explants (mean 8.77 per explant)" was achieved on an Orchimax medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/l BAP, 2 mg/l 2,4-D, 20 g/l mannitol, 20 g/l sucrose and 0.5 mg/l NAA for 2-scales. Mature bulblets were excised and individually rooted on half strength MS medium supplemented with I mg/l IBA, 0.5 g/l activated charcoal, 20 g/l sucrose and 6 g/l agar Regenerated plants from 2 and 4 scales were acclimatized with a 14% survival rate after 3 weeks.