In vitro propagation of ficus carica l. var. bursa Siyahı through meristem culture

XIV ABSTRACT Bursa Siyahı is a well-adapted fig cuttivar under Çukurova conditions. However, almost all the trees are infected with fig mosaic virus. In vitro propagation of this cultivar through meristem culture was carried out for virus-free plant propagation. The meristems were isolated during the growing season and cultured on LS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l BAP, 0.1 mg/l IBA, 0.1 mg/l GA3 ± 89 mg/l PG and ± 2 g/l active charcoal. Then, growing shoots were transferred to shoot proliferation medium including 89 mg/l PG, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/l BAP. In order to induce rooting, propagated shoots were subcultured onto rooting medium with 0, 1, and 2 mg/l IBA. In the meristem phase, survival and shoot formation rate of meristems, in proliferation phase, the rate of proliferation and the effect of subculture number on the proliferation rate; in the rooting phase, the rate of rooted explants and the number of roots per explant were investigated. At the and of meristem phase, the meristems which were isolated from shoot tips taken in spring or autumann times and cultured on medium with phloroglucinol or active charcoal were found have highest survival rates respectively 62.3 %, 65.0 %. The meristems which were isolated from shoot tips taken in spring time and cultured on medium with active charcoal were found have highest shoot formation rate (50.1 %).XV The propagation rate was found to be higher (4.43) in medium containing 1.0 mg/l BAP than 0.5 mg/l BAP (3.52). At the end of rooting experiments, difference among the auxin treatments were not found to be statistically significant; however, the highest rooting (75.0 %) was obtained in medium without auxin. This was followed by 1 mg/l and 2 mg/l IBA containing media having 68.33 and 58.33 % rooting, respectively. The plants obtained by this method were transplanted into pots and kept in a high RH environment. The plants were transferred into pots after two weeks, the survival rate was 90 %. Sanitary control was carried out by visual observation.