Plant Regeneration from Callus Cultures Derived from Primordial Leaves of Adult Japanese Persimmon

Abstract

Primordial leaves of Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki L. cv. Jiro) were excised from dormant buds and cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium with the nitrates reduced to half strength (MS½N) and supplemented with 0.1 to 10.0 µm zeatin + 0.1 to 10.0 µm IAA. After 40 days of culture in the dark, yellowish-white calli were formed at 10.0 µm zeatin + 1.0 µm IAA. When these calli were transferred to MS½N medium supplmented with zeatin (1.0 to 10.0 µm) + IAA (0 to 10.0 µm), 24% of them produced adventitious buds at 10.0 µm zeatin + 0.1 µm IAA under a 12-hr photoperiod. Further shoot growth occurred on the same medium without IAA. Basal ends of the shoots were quick-dipped in 1.25 mm IBA and placed on half-strength MS½ N medium. Nearly two-thirds of the dipped shoots rooted within 30 days. Plantlets regenerated in vitro were then transferred to a mixture of 1 peat: 1 perlite: 1 vermiculite and acclimatized for potting. Chemical names used: 1H-indole-3-acetic acid (IAA); 1H-indole-3-butyric acid (IBA); (E)-2-methyl-4-(1-H-purin-6-ylamino)-2-buten-1-o1 (zeatin).