ELONGATION CLONAL MICROPROPAGATION AND PHENOTYPIC EVALUATION OF PLANTLETS OBTAINED FROM CALLUS, CULTURED IN PRESENCE OF FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM TOXIC MATERIAL

In order to improve the resistance character of Nohra barlo carnation against Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. dianthi pathogen to which it is high susceptible, Alzate et al (1990) studied the induction of somaclonal variation and clonal obtainment of plantlets from young petals. The obtained somaclones were not well differentiated sprouts, with high vitrification and "in vitro" blooming.

In this place, we studied the hormonal interaction between GA₃ and kinetin that allows plantlets elongation with less vitrification. The treatment GA₃ 1mg/L, IAA 0.01 mg/L and kinetin 2 mg/L gave the best results.

The "in vitro" plantlets so obtained, were adapted to greenhouse conditions. The somaclones finally obtained were treated as mother plants without pinching.

The phenotypical evaluation didn't show flower color variation although in some cases there was a small change in its shade being more faded than the original pink of the variety.

The somaclone stem length (22 weeks old) was between 58 and 77.8 cm. while the control medium length was 61 cm.

There was blooming precocity in the variant somaclones; it was between the 13th and 22nd weeks whilst the control only began blooming at the 22nd week.