Direct in vitro regeneration of the Australian fan flower, Scaevola aemula R. Br.

This report describes in vitro shoot induction and regeneration response of leaf, node, stem and root explants of an important horticultural species of the Australian fan flower, Scaevola aemula R. Pr. Multiple shoots were obtained from node, leaf and stem explants. Node explants were first to respond in tissue culture with maximum number of shoots. Multiple shoots were initiated on shoot induction medium containing 8.8 mu M BAP and 5.0% coconut milk. Presence of BAP or coconut milk alone in the medium was not enough for multiple shoot induction. However, further shoot growth did not require BAP and coconut milk in the medium. The regenerated shoots were rooted on hormone-foe medium. In vitro grown plantlets readily adapted to glass-house conditions. The described procedure enables the production of a large number of plants in a short period of time, and thus can be used for assisting conventional breeding programs and gene transfer studies. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.