RAPID MULTIPLICATION OF GARLIC (ALLIUM-SATIVUM L) INVITRO

Many adventitious shoots were obtained in two different clonal types of garlic from shoot tip explants. Explants were cultured on two different media and subcultured on five different concentrations of growth regulators. Cultures were grown under 16 h/day photoperiod (about 42-mu-mol s-1 m-2) at 18-20C. Subcultures and observations were made every 50-60 days. Initiation and growth were best on MS medium supplemented with 0.4 mg/l thiamine. HCl, 100 mg/l myo-inositol, 0.5 mg/l nicotinic acid, 0.5 mg/l pyridoxine. HCl, 2 mg/l glycine, 80 mg/l adenine sulfate and 3% sucrose, and with 0.1 mg/l indol 3-acetic acid, 0.1 mg/l kinetin, in 0.65% agar. Shoot formation and growth were best on media with the same salts and vitamins and supplemented with 3.0 mg/l 2-isopentenyl adenine and 0.3 mg/l alpha-naphthaleneacetic acid. Rate of multiplication, presence of roots and bulblet development are discussed.