IN VITRO PLANT REGENERATION OF TURKISH SWEET BASIL (OCIMUM BASILICUM L.)

Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is most important medicinal and aromatic plant used in aromatherapy, cosmetics, perfume and food products in fresh or dried form. The present study provides a reliable and reaptable in vitro plant regeneration protocol of cultivated sweet basil of Turkey. Basil seeds were surface sterilized with 2.5% NaOCl. Epicotyl, hypocotyl and shoot tip explants were isolated from 12-14 days old in vitro grown seedlings. The explants were cultured on MS medium containing 0.80-2.40 mg/L TDZ with or without 0.10 mg/L IBA alongwith 1.0 mg/L PVP and 3.0 g/L activated charcoal. Cent percent callus induction were recorded on all explants on all culture mediums. Shoot regeneration frequency of epicotyl, hypocotyl and shoot tip explant ranged 75.0-100, 25.0-83.33 and 66.67-100% respectively. Maximum number of shoots from epicotyl (3.22) and shoot tip (3.58) were scored on MS medium containing 2.40 mg/l TDZ-0.10 mg/l IBA. Whereas, hypocotyl explant induced maximum number of (5.17) shoots per explant on MS medium with 2.0 mg/l TDZ. Relatively shorter roots of less than 1.0 cm were recorded irrespective of explant type or culture medium. However, shoots were successfully rooted and plantlets were transferred to pots and acclimatized well in growth room conditions.