IN-VITRO CLONAL PROPAGATION OF CAPSICUM SPP

The effect of various concentrations of benzyladenine (BA 4.4-177.5 mu M) or kinetin (4.7-185.9 mu M) on shoot proliferation from shoot-tip explants was investigated in C. praetermissum Heiser and Smith and C. annuum L. Maximum number of shoots were obtained on Murashige and Skoog's medium with 66.6 mu M BA or 92.9 mu M kinetin in C. praetermissum, and 88.8 mu M BA or 116.2 mu M kinetin in C. annuum after 4 weeks of culture. Combining 1 mu M 2, 3, 5-triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA) with low levels of BA or kinetin significantly increased shoot number as compared to using either cytokinin alone. Rooting of regenerated shoots was achieved on MS medium containing 5.7 mu M indoleacetic acid. Best rooting (80-100%) was observed in shoots from TIBA plus BA or kinetin media while only 40-50% of shoots from the BA or kinetin treatments were rootable. Plantlets obtained from TIBA plus BA or kinetin were normal diploids while those from BA or kinetin alone revealed distinct chromosomal aberrations in their root tip squashes. Regenerants from TIBA plus BA or kinetin media were successfully established in the soil (86% survival rate), where they flowered and showed normal meiotic behaviour with 100% pollen viability.