Investigation of in vitro micropropagation pathways of endemic Nepeta baytopii Hedge & Lamond grown in Eastern Southeast Anatolia region

In this study, it has been aimed to describe a working procedure for micropropagation of Nepeta baytopii Hedge & Lamond which has a potential value as endemic plant and investigate a suitable sterilization procedure and an appropriate working procedure for reproduction with biotechnological methods. In the first stage our study, a series of sterilization experiments were carried out for the seeds of Nepeta baytopii Hedge & Lamond collected from the natural growing environment. The seeds of Nepeta baytopii Hedge & Lamond were germinated on the hormone-free MS (Murashige and Skoog, 1962) medium supplemented with 30 g/l sucrose and 5.458 g/l agar (w/v). İn the second stage, parameter studies were performed by deciding to the type cytokinin and auxin. It was decided that the best cytokine ratio in terms of shoot number and shoot height was 0.125 BAP mg/l. For direct shoots regeneration experiments, the were used as explant sources, the shoots obtained from seeds of Nepeta baytopii Hedge & Lamond. This explants were cultured on MS medium containing nine different concentrations of BAP and Kinetin (0.00-0.0625-0.125-0.25-0.5-1-1.5-2-2.5 mg/l) seperately. After that, new shoots to on fresh culture medium every 3 to 4 weeks were subcultured. On the 21st day of culture, the shoots obtained from seeds of Nepeta baytopii Hedge & Lamond were proliferated in the MS medium supplemented with 0.125 mg/L BAP. In the third stage, the media containing 0.125 mg/l BAP and different concentrations of NAA, IAA, IBA and 2,4-D (0.00-0.25-0.125-0.0625 mg/l) were prepared separately and the combined effects of oxine and cytokinin on shoot proliferation were investigated. The best percentage of root formation was obtained from 0.125 mg/l BAP + 0.25 mg/l IBA supplemented MS medium. Acclimation studies has been done for adaptation of rooted shoots to soil. This is the first report on the study Nepeta baytopii Hedge & Lamond's direct plant regeneration. This study presents an effective alternative method for propagation and preservation of this important endemic plant.