ADVENTITIOUS SHOOTS FROM COTYLEDONS OF IMMATURE CHERRY AND APRICOT EMBRYOS

Immature embryos of Prunus armeniaca (apricot) and Prunus persica (peach) collected 20–30 d from anthesis were cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with benzyladenine (BA) and various auxins to study their potential for regeneration. Both species developed adventitious buds on cotyledons when cultured in vitro. Apricot frequency of regeneration was as high as 100% when BA (5.0 μM) and 2,4-D (1.0 μM) were included in the medium. Cherry response was less than apricot (up to 70%) and the maximum frequency of regeneration occurred using media with BA alone (3.0 μM). Auxin was inhibitory to sweet cherry regeneration. The physiological stage of development was very important for regeneration from both species since regeneration did not occur when very young or fully mature embryos were used as explants. Apricot plants were produced by rooting shoots which developed from the regenerated buds on the cotyledons.Key words: Apricot, sweet cherry, regeneration, immature embryo, cotyledon, tissue culture