CALLUS INDUCTION AND PLANTLET REGENERATION IN TISSUE-CULTURES OF HAWAIIAN ANTHURIUMS

Leaf explants of seven cultivars of Hawaiian anthuriums (Anthurium andraeanum Linden ex Andre' cv. Kaumana, Kozohara, Marian Seefurth, Mauna Kea, Nitta, Ozaki, and Paradise Pink) produced callus most successfully after 2 to 3 months on a modified Pierik medium containing 0.36-mu-M 2,4-D and 4.4-mu-M BA. Petiole explants callused best on Pierik, modified Pierik, and Finnie and van Staden media. Long-term cultures of callus from Univ. of Hawaii anthurium selections UH965, UH1060, and UH1003 were maintained for 12 to 13 months and were still capable of plantlet regeneration. Adventitious plantlets were recovered from callus plated on a Kunisaki medium containing 2.2 or 22-mu-M BA. Regeneration appeared to be organogenic rather than embryogenic and varied among the genotypes tested. Chemical names used: N-(phenylmethyl)-1H-purin-6-amine (BA); (2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid (2,4-D).