Shoot regeneration from peduncles and shoot-like regeneration from leaves of babaco, Carica pentagona

Abstract

C. pentagona shoots were regenerated from peduncle sections cultured on medium containing benzyladenine (BA, 0, 0.5 or 1.0 mg/litre) plus IAA (0.5 or 1.0 mg/litre) under a 16-h or 18-h photoperiod and a light intensity of 16 micro mol-1 m-2. Whole leaves from in vitro-stock material and leaf sections containing either a petiole or main vein from greenhouse plants regenerated roots and/or shoot-like structures on medium containing BA (1.0 or 1.5 mg/litre) plus IAA (1.0 or 3.0 mg/litre). Histological analysis of sections of peduncles and leaves demonstrated that shoots appeared to regenerate directly from cells associated with the vascular systems.