DIRECT AND INDIRECT ORGANOGENESIS IN TISSUE CULTURES OF NERINE BOWDENII W. WATTS

Twin-scale and peduncle explants of Nerine bowdenii W. Watts were cultured on a modified Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 1.0 mg l^-1 benzyladenine. Twin-scale explants orientated apolarly formed bulblets more readily than polarly orientated explants. Average weight per bulblet and total fresh weight of bulblets per growing explant for apolarly orientated explants were more than double that of polarly orientated explants. The optimum temperature for bulblet production was 17–22°C in light.

Callus growth occured on peduncle explants and bulblets developed from the callus. The size of the peduncle explant affected the growth response.