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SummaryTaro (Colocasia esculenta) callus was induced from shoot tip explants on a modified Nitsch medium supplemented with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 6-benzyladenine (BA) at 1 mg.liter -1 each. The effect of agar concentration (0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8%, W/V) in a modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium on the regeneration of shoots from taro callus was investigated. Shoot differentiation was observed only in 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6% agar concentrations. A high level of shoot differentiation at 64% was measured on 0.6% agar medium. However, root differentiation was observed regardless of agar concentrations.Shoot differentiation was observed on the medium supplemented with 1 mg.liter -1 BA as early as 10 weeks of culture.Addition of 0.1% (W/V) charcoal did not directly induce the regeneration of shoots from the callus, but lengthened the longetivity of the calli since no necrosis was observed after 20 weeks of culture.Proliferation of regenerated shoots was enhanced with the addition of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and BA at 1 mg.liter -1 each. The plantlets can be readily potted in a vermiculite medium for acclimatization before planting in the field.

Callus was induced from shoot tip explants of taro (Colocasia esculenta Schott) using modified Nitsch medium containing major elements of Nitsch and minor elements and organic addenda of Ringe and Nitsch with 2% sucrose, 0.8% agar and 1 mg•liter-1 of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 6-benzyladenine (BA), each. The same growth regulators were used in the multiplication of callus. Furthermore, an auxin combination of 2,4-D and NAA at 1 mg•liter-1 each have beneficial effects on the multiplication of callus.By reducing the concentration of NH4NO3 from 720 mg.liter -1 to 200 mg.liter -1, the degree of callus formation and percent of explants forming callus increased. Low level of NH4NO3 was found to upgrade the formation and growth of callus.Addition of 10% coconut water was beneficial to the induction of callus, on the other hand, it was not beneficial to the multiplication of callus but rather promoted root formation. Medium concentration had no significant effect on the formation and growth of callus.

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