IN VITRO PROPAGATION AND MULTIPLE SHOOT FORMATION FROM COTYLEDONARY NODES OF PISTACHIO

Clonal propagation and multiple shoot formation in pistachio (Pistacia vera cv. Kirmizi) has been achieved with cotyledonary nodes devoid of cotyledons. Shoot development was induced on MS medium supplemented with 0.44-88 µM benzyladenine (BA) or kinetin. Both type and concentration of cytokinins significantly influenced shoot proliferation. Incorporation of gibberelic acid (0.2-1.0 µM) or naphthaleneacetic acid (0.5-5.3 µM) in the medium supplemented with cytokinins also effected the proliferation success. MS medium supplemented with 88 µM BA induced up to 5 shoots per explant with an average shoot length of 8.50 mm in 30 days. Further multiplication of shoots required continued culturing up to three subcultures of 30 days each on the same medium after establishment of cultures. Shoots formed in vitro were rooted on half-strength MS basal medium supplemented with 12.3 µM indole-3-butyric acid. Plantlets were successfully acclimated and established in soil.