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View/Open - ResearchSpace - University of KwaZulu-Natal

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Abstract<br />

The suitability <strong>of</strong> various explant types and media supplementations for culture<br />

initiation was examined for various species <strong>of</strong> Romulea. Both embryos and seedling<br />

hypocotyls can be used for R. flava, R. leipoldtii and R. minutiflora in vitro shoot<br />

culture initiation. R. sabulosa shoot cultures can only be initiated by using embryos<br />

as explants, because <strong>of</strong> the lack <strong>of</strong> seed germination in this species. Shoot cultures<br />

<strong>of</strong> R. diversiformis, R. camerooniana and R. rosea could not be initiated due to the<br />

lack <strong>of</strong> an in vitro explant shooting response. Shoot cultures can be initiated on<br />

media supplemented with 2.3 to 23.2 M kinetin for all species that showed an in<br />

vitro response. The most suitable concentration depended on the species used.<br />

Some cultures appeared embryogenic, but this was shown not to be the case. A<br />

medium supplemented with 2.5 M mTR is most suitable for R. sabulosa shoot<br />

multiplication. BA caused vitrification <strong>of</strong> shoots in all the experiments in which it was<br />

included and is not a suitable cytokinin for the micropropagation <strong>of</strong> these species.<br />

The effect <strong>of</strong> various physical and chemical parameters on in vitro corm formation<br />

and ex vitro acclimatization and growth was examined. Low temperature significantly<br />

increased corm formation in R. minutiflora and R. sabulosa. A two step corm<br />

formation protocol involving placing corms at either 10 or 20°C for a few months and<br />

then transferring these cultures to 15°C should be used for R. sabulosa. When<br />

paclobutrazol and ABA were added to the medium on which R. minutiflora shoots<br />

were placed, the shoots developed corms at 25°C. This temperature totally inhibits<br />

corm formation when these growth retardants are not present. BA inhibited corm<br />

formation in R. leipoldtii. Corms can be commercialized as propagation units for<br />

winter-rainfall areas with minimum temperatures below 5°C during winter.<br />

Although an incident <strong>of</strong> in vitro flowering was observed during these experiments,<br />

these results could not be repeated. Although none <strong>of</strong> the corms or plantlets planted<br />

ex vitro in the greenhouse survived, a small viability and an ex vitro acclimatization<br />

experiment shows that the corms produced in vitro are viable.<br />

One embryo <strong>of</strong> the attractive R. sabulosa, produces 2.1 ± 0.7 SE shoots after 2<br />

months; subsequently placing these shoots on a medium supplemented with 2.5 µM<br />

mTR for a further 2 months multiplies this value by 5.5 ± 1.3 SE. Each <strong>of</strong> these<br />

shoots can then be induced to produce a corm after 6 months. This means that 1<br />

vi

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