In vitro HIGH-FREQUENCY CALLUS INDUCTION IN CARNATION (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) CULTIVAR “IRENE”

Carnation is an important floricultural crop that is commercially cultivated for its ornamental cut flowers. The development of an efficient in vitro callus induction and plant regeneration protocol is the first requisite of genetic transformation for creating improved cultivars through transgenic technologies. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to investigate the potential of different culture media combinations containing BAP and 2,4-D for in vitro callus induction in carnation cultivar "Irene" by using leaf and nodal segments. The study exhibited that all the culture media combinations produced variable results in terms of callus induction. Nodal segments responded earlier callus initiation in comparison of leaf segments. High-frequency callus induction from both the tested explant types was reported on culture media combination CM-3 containing full strength basal MS media supplemented with 0.25 mg/L BAP and 3.5 mg/L 2,4-D. Present study concludes that the protocol thus established could be effectively utilized for somatic embryogenesis, protoplast culture and genetic transformation studies for carnation improvement.