ADVENTITIOUS SHOOT PRODUCTION FROM IMMATURE EMBRYOS OF WHITE CLOVER

Cotyledonary-stage embryos of Haifa white clover, collected 13 days after cross-pollination, were induced to form adventitious shoots primarily from the hypocotyl region. The culture medium used for the production of adventitious shoots contained 5 mu M thidiazuron and 0.5 mu M alpha-naphthaleneacetic acid. Numerous shoot meristems were produced within the first week, discrete shoots developed by week three, small plantlets by week eight, and whole plants in soil by week ten. 95-100% of all embryos, regardless of genotype, produced adventitious shoots within four weeks with an average production of 17.5 shoots per embryo. The majority of shoots (on average 77%) were easily converted to whole plants in soil. The white clover regeneration system described is prolific, rapid and effective on a large number of genotypes.