An Example of Clonal Micropropagation of Endemic Bulbous Ornamental Plants: Bellevalia tauri

Bellevalia tauri Feinbrun which has great potential as an ornamental, is an endemic bulbous plant of the Asparagaceae family. This study, one of a very limited number of in vitro culture studies in Bellevalia species, investigated the in vitro clonal propagation potential of immature zygotic embryos and twin bulb scale explants of B. tauri. Surface sterilization of immature embryos was performed using commercial bleach and ethanol. In addition to these, hot water applications were also tested in bulb scale explants to overcome the heavy contamination. Both explant types were cultured in MS medium containing different ratios of BAP and NAA after sterilization. Although there was no contamination after sterilization in immature embryos, it was quite difficult to overcome contamination in bulb scale explants despite different sterilization methods. The in vitro regeneration method also differed according to the type of explant used in the study. New bulb formation was achieved by direct organogenesis from bulb scale explants and by indirect organogenesis after callus formation from cultured immature embryos. The highest callus and bulblet formation from immature embryo explant was obtained on medium supplemented with 2.0 mg L-1 BAP + 0.25 mg L-1 NAA medium. In this medium, percentage of explants forming callus and number of bulblets per explant were determined as 100% and 3.43, respectively. As a result of the chromosome analysis performed to determine whether plant growth regulators have an effect on the chromosome number and morphology of B. tauri in tissue culture, no anomalies were detected in the chromosome number and structure.