Improving seed germination and bulb induction of Allium tuncelianum kolmann under aseptic conditions

Allium tuncelianum (Kollman) N. Ozhatay, B. Mathew & Siraneci] or Tunceli garlic is endemic to the Eastern Turkish Provinces of Tunceli, Sivas Erzincan and [Munzur mountains]. They are edible and bear attractive deep lilac colored flowers with fertile black deep dormant seeds. Tunceli garlic seeds were collected from field-grown plants and aimed to break seed dormancy to optimize conditions for induction of bulblets, along with their growth, development, and increased bulb diameter. Therefore, these were cultured on MS medium amended with different strengths of KNO3. They were germinated on MS medium with or without 20 g L-1 sucrose followed by their culture on 1, 2, 4 and 6 × KNO3 (found in MS medium) to increase bulb diameter. Improved seed germination was noted on MS medium with and without sucrose but with variation compared to the previous reports. The bulb formation rate on each of the germinated seeds was not parallel. The results showed 34 and 28.5% bulb induction noted on germinated seeds after 150 and 158 days on MS medium containing 20 g L-1 sucrose and no sucrose in the same sequence. The results emphatically noted the role of cold stratification on agar-solidified MS medium supplemented with sucrose to improve seed germination. The best increase in bulb diameter was noted on MS medium containing 1 × KNO3 (found in MS medium) after 178 days with bulblet diameter and weight of 0.54 cm and 0.048 g, respectively. Consequently, the bulbs induced on sucrose-containing MS medium could be transferred to pots earlier. Increased (>1 × KNO3 found in MS medium) negatively affected on the growth and development of Tunceli garlic bulbs. The strategy of seed germination and bulblet induction reported in this study could be positively used to conserve and protect this endemic plant species.