INVITRO RESPONSE OF ACTINIDIA LEAF AND CALLUS-TISSUE TO THIDIAZURON

Thidiazuron (TDZ) is a compound with cytokinin-like activity. Its activity was compared with that of benzyladenine (BA) and zeatin, either alone or in combination with naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), for adventitious shoot production in Actinidia deliciosa and A. arguta tissues grown in vitro. TDZ and zeatin were more effective than BA in producing adventitious shoots from A. deliciosa leaf and callus tissue. High-quality shoots were formed from leaf explants of A. deliciosa using low concentrations of TDZ. A. arguta shoot regeneration was less successful. No shoots formed on BA media, although shoots formed on TDZ media (5-45-mu-M) in the presence of NAA and on media with 45-mu-M zeatin.