IN VITRO ESTABLISHMENT AND PROLIFERATION OF RED CURRANT CULTIVAR 'DETVAN'

The objective of this study was to develop in vitro multiplication protocol for use with commercially important red currant cultivar ‘Detvan’. Initial explants were successfully established in vitro using mercuric chloride in a concentration of 0.15% as a sterilization solution. The overall rate of contamination was 9.7% only. Most of the uncontaminated explants produced new plants in the form of rosettes with short internodes and small leaves after four weeks in culture. To evaluate the shoot multiplication two different mineral media MS and WPM containing different concentrations of growth regulators were employed. Neither of the used media promoted markedly in vitro shoot formation. On MS medium, the number of newly formed shoots in particular subcultures varied between 1.5 and 2.5. Generally, the highest multiplication rate (2.5) was obtained for ‘Detvan’ on MS medium with 2 mg L^-1 BAP, 0.5 mg L^-1 IBA and 0.1 mg L^-1 GA₃. On MS medium, it was possible to maintain actively growing in vitro shoots during the first six to eight subcultures only. After a total culture period of about 9 months, in vitro plants stopped multiplication and subsequently died out. WPM medium proved to be unsuitable for the proliferation of tested cultivar. Explants on this medium did not multiply and developed symptoms of yellowing or chlorosis.