ABSTRACT

The pathway of propagating Cyclamen persicum MILL. via somatic embryogenesis is described. Unpollinated ovules turned out to be the most suitable type of ex- plant. On callus induction medium containing 2.0 mg/l 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) and 0.8 mg/l 2iP (6-(γ,γ-dimethylallylamino)purine) callus was formed from somatic tissue of the ovules, which for one genotype has been maintained for more than six years without changes in the ploidy level, and retaining its regeneration ability. On hormone-free medium the differentiation of somatic embryos was observed in 29 out of 30 genotypes tested.

Studies on the inheritance of the in vitro regeneration ability revealed, that two dominant major genes were involved. Only genotypes being homozygous with recessive alleles at both loci were assumed to be not regenerable via somatic embryogenesis.

Long-term suspension cultures were established from callus using liquid callus induction medium. For automation, these suspensions were cultured in bioreactors. The effect of oxygen and CO₂ was analysed regarding cell growth and differentiation of somatic embryos in bioreactors. About 27,000 young plants in the green house could be obtained from 1l of a differentiating suspension culture within 38 months using bioreactor technique.