Researches on somatic embryogenesis and synthetic seed production of tubers of some cyclamen species grown in Turkey

In this study, the production possibilities of somatic embryo and synthetic seeds from tuber tissues of C. persicum, C. coum, C. cilicium, C graecum and C. pseudibericum which naturally grown in Turkey were investigated. 2,4-D and 2iP were used as PGR to obtain somatic embryo structures. The embryogenic structers were obtained in the media supplied by 2 mg L-1 2,4-D + 0.5 mg L-1 2iP and 1.5 mg L-1 2,4-D + 0.8 mg L-1 2iP from C. persicum, 2 mg L-1 2,4-D + 0.5 mg L-1 2iP and 2 mg L-1 2,4-D + 0.3 mg L-1 2iP C. coum. For C. cilicium tubers, somatic embryos obtained only in the media supplied by 2 mg L-1 2,4-D + 0.5 mg L-1 2iP. While only organogenic structures were obtained from C. graecum tubers. Callus development was observed only from C. pseudibericum tubers. In synthetic seed experiments, encapsulation was performed by using somatic embryos of C. persicum, C. coum and C. cilicium and shoots of C. graecum. MS medium and plant growth regulators added into sodium alginate used as coating material had positive effect on germination for C. persicum and C. coum species, while germination was not observed from somatic embryos of C. cilicium. It was observed that the encapsulation process had a negative effect on the regeneration of shoot structures of C. graecum. Keywords: Cyclamen, in vitro, encapsulation, sodium alginate