Abstract
Somatic embryos were produced using aseptic seedlings of wild Cyclamen species. The seeds of 18 wild Cyoclamen species were cultured in the dark at 15-20°C until germination, and then maintained under a 16/8 light/dark photoperiod (20-30μmol m-2 s-1 provided by fluorescent lamps) at 24°C. Modified MS medium supplemented with 30.0gl-1 sucrose and 3.0gl-1 gellan gum was used for culture of aseptic seedlings. The seeds of C. balearicum, C. creticum, C. intaminatum and C. repandum did not germinate. Aseptic seedlings were obtained from 14 wild Cyclamen species : C. africanum, C. cilicium, C. coum, C. cyprium, C. graecum, C. hederifolium var. album, C. libanoticum, C. mirabile, C. parviflorum, C. persicum, C. pseudibericum, C. purpurascens, C. rohlfsianum and C. trochopteranthum. Sectioned petioles and leaves from the seedlings were inoculated on two types of induction media. The induction was carried out in the dark at 24°C. Among the 14 species, only C. cyprium, C. libanoticum, and C. parviflorum did not produce calli. The calli were subcultured and transferred to a somatic induction mealum without plant growth regulators. Variations in the type of callus, the frequency of callus formation and the potential for somatic embryogenesis were observed among the species. Somatic embryogenesis was achieved in C. africanum, C. cilicium, C. persicum, C. rohlfsianum and C. trochopteranthum and shoot formation in C. africanum and C. hederifolium var. album for the first time in this experiment.
