Rooting and acclimatization in trangenic carnation microplants

Microcuttings (microshoots) from transformed carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L. cv. Tanga) plantlets, originated in vitro from leaf explants and carrying the bar gene with resistance to the herbicide BASTA(R), achieved 47% rooting in vitro in MS medium supplemented with 3 muM IBA plus 100 mug l(-1) kanamycin as a selection agent. Microcuttings from non-transformed plantlets did not root at all using the same selection agent. For the acclimatization stage, the rooted microcuttings; were planted to a soilless mixture in boxes and maintained in a growth chamber with controlled environmental conditions for 2 months. Young plants produced from these transformed microcuttings were moved to greenhouse and then cuttings were taken from them for rooting. Rooted cuttings, which were transplanted to pots in a soil mixture, grew successfully to plants and produced red flowers typical of the cv. Tanga.