title: Thidiazuron induces shoot organogenesis at low concentrations and somatic embryogenesis at high concentrations on leaf and petiole explants of African violet (Saintpaulia ionantha Wendl).
abstract: Regeneration via shoot organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis was observed from thidiazuron (TDZ)-treated leaf and petiole explants of greenhouse- and in vitro-grown African violet plants. The response of cultures to other growth regulators over a range of 0.5 microM to 10 microM was 50% less than that observed with TDZ. A comparative study among several cultivars of African violet indicated that "Benjamin" and "William" had the highest regeneration potential. In "Benjamin", higher frequencies of shoot organogenesis (twofold) and somatic embryogenesis (a 50% increase) were observed from in vitro- and greenhouse-grown plants, respectively. At concentrations lower than 2.5 microM, TDZ induced shoot organogenesis, whereas at higher doses (5-10 microM) somatic embryos were formed. These findings provide the first report of simultaneous shoot organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis of African violet explants in response to TDZ.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Biology, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mithila
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: J M R
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Victor
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Saxena
mesh_terms: D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D012038:Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects; D012639:Seeds / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D013830:Thiadiazoles
chemical_list: D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D013830:Thiadiazoles; C016785:thidiazuron