Abstract

ABSTRACT In the present study, multiplication efficiency of Alstroemeria ligtu hybrid was investigated. Bases of the first seedling leaves grown in vitro were used as initial explants. The explants were cultured in the MS media containing 3% sucrose, 0.7% agar at pH 5.8, five N6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) concentrations (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 mg·l1) and three indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) concentrations (0, 0.1 and 0.2 mg·l1). The cultures were incubated at 21 ± 2 C under photoperiod 16/8. After three subculturings (3 weeks-long each) the number of rhizome, shoots, buds, leaves, and roots, length of shoots and roots were recorded. Adventitious shoots formed directly on the leaf bases without callus intervention. Their number was af-fected by BAP concentrations. The highest shoots number, six per explants, was obtained at 1 mg·l1 BAP and 0.1 mg·l–1 IBA. The shoot length decreased with the increasing concentration of BAP. The highest root number (2.7) was formed on shoots cultured on the MS medium containing 0.5 mg·l1 α-naphthalene acetic acid, and the highest rhizome number (2.2) was formed on the medium with 0.5 mg·l1 BAP. In vitro rooted plantlets were able to survive and acclimatize in the greenhouse. Key words: Alstroemeria, direct organogenesis, micropropagation