Investigation of the Potential of two Wild Medicago Species - Medicago Orbicularis and Medicago Arabica for in Vitro Callusogenesis and Direct Organogenesis

ABSTRACT

Plant regeneration via direct shoots formation for two annual diploid medics—Medicago orbicularis and Medicago arabica was established. On medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l TDZ, petioles base and nodal stem segments formed cluster of shoots. For Medicago orbicularis the number of regenerants varied from 11–13 per explant, while for Medicago arabica, they were less (5–6). Medicago orbicularis also showed the higher potential for callus formation in all tested explants, media and culture conditions. Medium B5 supplemented with 1 mg/l 2,4-D was determined as the optimal for callusogenesis of Medicago orbicularis at both studied conditions—darkness and light. The positive correlation between small genome size of Medicago orbicularis and better in vitro response was found.