In Vitro Regeneration of Achillea millefolium L from Shoot-tips and Root Segments of Seedlings

This report describes, for the first time, an efficient plant regeneration system for Achillea millefolium L (yarrow), a medicinal plant, via shoot multiplication from shoot-tips and adventitious shoot regeneration from root segments. Higher numbers of shoots were obtained when shoot-tips were cultured on MSMO medium supplemented with 3.0 mg I-1 BA and 0.5 mg I-1 IAA, or 5.0 mg I-1 KIN and 1.0 mg I-1 IBA, producing 17.3 and 17.0 shoots per explant at 100% frequency, respectively. For adventitous shoot regeneration, only root segments developed shoots when cultured on medium containing a combination of I mg I-1 TDZ, 0.5 mg I-1 IAA and 0.5 mg I-1 GA(3) (18.9 shoots per explant at 100% frequency), while other types of explants (i.e., cotyledons, leaf lamina and petiole segments) or hormonal combinations tested were found ineffective. Regenerated shoots rooted readily on MSMO medium containing different concentrations of IAA, IBA, NAA or 2,4-D, however, NAA at 0.5 mg I-1, or IBA at 0.5 or 1.0 mg I-1 were found to be the most productive. Nearly all of the regenerated plants (98%) survived through the hardening process when the rooted plantlets were kept at 55-65% relative humidity for 2 weeks, which were then planted in pots containing potting soil and kept at 25-35% humidity.