In vitro Propagation of a Commercial Cultivar of Lilium

Lilium is one of the highly valuable ornamental plants in national and international flower markets. One of the most effective methods for propagation of Lilium is tissue culture, preferably through direct somatic embryogenesis. In the resent project, the effects of various concentrations of Picloram (0, 1, 2, 3, 6 and 9 mgl-1), Thidiazuron (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 mgl-1), α-Naphtalene Acetic Acid (1.5 mgl-1) in combination with Thidiazuron (0.08, 0.2 and 0.4 mgl-1), 2,4-Dicholorophenoxy Acetic Acid (2.5, 5 and 10 mgl-1) in combination with Benzyl Amino Purine (0.25 mgl-1) and types of explant (basal, central and distal part of bulb scale) was investigated on direct somatic embryogenesis induction of Lilium longiflorum var.Ceb-Dazzle. The explants were surface sterilized and then were cultured on MS medium supplemented with 3% sucrose, 0.3% Phytagel and various concentrations of mentioned growth regulators. According to the results, it was found that 2 mgl-1 Picloram was the most effective concentration to induce direct somatic embryogenesis in L. longoflorum, giving the highest number of embryos (on average 30.6 embryo/explant) on central explant. Thidiazuron alone or in combination with α-Naphtalene Acetic Acid in various concentrations was not able to induce somatic embryogenesis, but caused bulblet regeneration. Similar results were obtained for 2,4-Dicholorophenoxy Acetic Acid and Benzyl Amino Purine treatments. Induced somatic embryos were transferred to MS media without growth regulators for further development and maturation. The matured plantlets were acclimatized and transferred to in vivo conditions.