PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE METHODS OF GETTING VIRUS-FREE PEACH PLANTLETS IN VITRO

In vitro shoot meristem-tip culture and micrografting have been studied to find a practical way to produce virus-free peach plantlets. Shoot meristem-tips excised from in vitro shoots of "Redhaven" variety were grafted onto the virus free rootstock "CT 2692". The survival rates of the grafts made by inverted "T" cut and "hole" grafting procedure were 18.2% and 49.5% respectively.

The survival rates of different size of meristem-tips of "Redhaven" varied. The medium on which the survival rates of meristem-tips were the highest for peach cultivars, "Redhaven", "Maycrest" and "Suncrest" contained Anderson Salts (1978), Spata Vitamin (1969) and 0.2 mg/l BA + 0.01 mg/l IBA + 0.1 mg/l GA₃.