Embryo development and germination of Cyclamen persicum have been comparatively characterized for zygotic and somatic embryos with regard to mitotic activity and morphology in order to identify developmental abnormalities in somatic embryogenesis. Zygotic embryo development proved to be highly synchronous with distinct periods of cell division, cell elongation and embryo maturation within a total period of 17 weeks of seed development. Somatic embryo development was accomplished within only 3 weeks, resulting in a mixture of morphologically highly variable embryos. No distinct developmental periods could be identified and no reduction of the mitotic activity was discovered for non-desiccated somatic embryos. Controlled desiccation of somatic embryos severely reduced their germination rate, demonstrating resemblance of somatic embryos to recalcitrant seeds, whereas zygotic Cyclamen seeds could be characterized as typically orthodox.
This study shows that it is possible to propagate Helleborus niger by means of in vitro cloning. Universal (U) medium has been used for the in vitro culture. This medium was created by Haensch as a universal medium to meet the average nutritional requirements of many different plants. Apical buds of H. niger seedlings were established on U-medium supplemented with 8.9 µmol/l 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 2.7 µmol/l α-naphthaleneacetic acid. Propagation was carried out on U-medium supplemented with 2.2 µmol/l BAP and 2.9 µmol/l gibberellic acid. The highest rooting success rate of 96.7% was achieved by adding 4.9 µmol/l indole-3-butyric acid to the medium. Shooting and rooting were dependent on the seedling cloned. More than 80% of the in vitro plants survived and thrived in the greenhouse.
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