Shading and reducing tuber provide young green leaf explants for the propagation of true-to-type Caladium bicolor Ait. plants

An efficient protocol for the regeneration of true-to-type plant of Caladium is reported. Green leaves were prepared under shade with reduced shoot production from the tubers. Variant plants were observed by culture of explants on Murashige and Skoog's basal medium supplemented with napthaleneacetic acid and benzyladenine (each at 1 mg L-1). High phenotypic variation (36-44%) was observed with leaves obtained from de-eyed tubers, whereas low variation (6-8%) was observed with explants obtained from the leaves of axillary buds. There was no significant shading effect on leaf color variant plants obtained from both types of growing sources. Young green leaves obtained from axillary buds gave stable explants for the propagation of true-to-type Caladium plants.