View/Open - ResearchSpace - University of KwaZulu-Natal
View/Open - ResearchSpace - University of KwaZulu-Natal
View/Open - ResearchSpace - University of KwaZulu-Natal
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In vitro culture initiation and multiplication<br />
No embryos <strong>of</strong> R. camerooniana or R. rosea showed any in vitro response. Embryos<br />
were completely dehydrated after 2 months.<br />
Because <strong>of</strong> the larger amount <strong>of</strong> replicates used for the vulnerable and attractive R.<br />
sabulosa it was possible to examine the specific in vitro response <strong>of</strong> embryos to<br />
different plant growth regulator combinations with some statistical confidence (Table<br />
5.1). The specific in vitro response for each treatment is therefore described in more<br />
detail for R. sabulosa than for other species.<br />
As with embryos <strong>of</strong> other species <strong>of</strong> R. sabulosa, some cultures showed only swelling<br />
(Table 5.1). A significantly higher percentage <strong>of</strong> cultures showed swelling on the<br />
control medium than for other treatments and roots were also produced on this<br />
medium. Shoot initiation was only observed in cultures with kinetin only. Although<br />
swelling with shoot initials was produced on all media with kinetin only, this response<br />
was significantly higher for the 2.3 M kinetin treatment compared to the control and<br />
all other treatments. Shoot and root formation was observed at the two lower kinetin<br />
concentrations. Shoot clusters were observed for the two higher kinetin<br />
concentrations. Significantly more shoot clusters were produced on a medium<br />
supplemented with 23.2 M kinetin compared to all other treatments, as 36% <strong>of</strong> the<br />
embryos that showed a growth response on this media produced shoot clusters.<br />
When the data was pooled it also showed that a medium supplemented with 23.2 M<br />
kinetin was best for shoot initiation. Among the embryos placed on media<br />
supplemented with 23.2 M kinetin that showed a growth response, 89% showed a<br />
shoot initiation response. Callus with shoot cluster initials was observed for embryos<br />
placed on media supplemented with 23.2 M kinetin. As with other species in<br />
Romulea, the shoots developed from these initials were however highly vitrified and<br />
did not develop roots when placed on a medium with no plant growth regulators.<br />
Cultures placed on five <strong>of</strong> the media treatments containing both kinetin and 2,4-D<br />
produced small (