Abstract
Small explants derived from pith tissue of asparagus spears were cultured on a medium devised by either WHITE or MURASHIGE and SKOOG (MS) to which
0, 0.1, 1.0 and 10.0mg/l 6-benzyladenine (BA),
0, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1.0 and 10.0mg/l auxin (2, 4-D or NAA), and 0, 10, 20, 30, 50 and 80g/l sucrose
were added. The cultures were kept in a dark growth room maintained at 25°C. The experimental results are summarized as follows:
1. The most prominent callus growth occurred where the sucrose concentrations were at 10 to 20 g/l. Therefore, in all subsequent trials, the sucrose concentration was maintained at 20g/l.
2. A good yield of callus resulted in a medium containing 0.1-1.0mg/l BA plus 0.1-1.0mg/l 2, 4-D or 1.0-10.0mg/l NAA.
3. In the medium without BA, auxin alone was found to be beneficial to the growth of callus at concentrations from 0.01 to 10.0mg/l. The optimum concentration was found to be 0.1mg/l.
4. Shoots and roots were formed in some combinations of BA and auxin on the MS medium but none was observed on WHITE′s preparation.
