AXENIC CULTURE OF SELECTED TISSUE OF POSIDONIA-OCEANICA

Axenic culture from tissue material has been achieved in Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile. A disinfection technique has been developed for different tissues. Despite investigation of various parts of the plant as starting material, culture has succeeded only from macromeristems. These have been cultured for up to 4 months on classical terrestrial-plant nutrient medium, solidified with agar-agar, and enriched with auxin- and cytokinin-type phytohormones, as well as high concentrations of sucrose. The macromeristems differentiated in the overlying air: they first became chlorophyll-rich, and after 55 days in culture the primary leaves had lengthened sevenfold. © 1990.