Callus Production in Geranium (Pelargonium quercetorum Agnew) Growing Naturally in Türkiye

Abstract

Pelargonium quercetorum Agnew grows naturally in the Hakkari province of Türkiye. Although P. quercetorum Agnew has potential use as a medicine and ornamental plant, it is especially used as a medicinal plant for the cure of various diseases by local people. In vitro tissue culture methods are favorable for the propagation, conservation, and breeding of medicinal plants. We aimed in this study to achieve regeneration of P. quercetorum Agnew from different explant types. Seeds of P. quercetorum Agnew were germinated in vitro conditions and explants were taken from these germinated sterile plantlets. Totally four different experiments, containing three of them embryogenic and one of them organogenic culture, were established to achieve regeneration in P. quercetorum Agnew. Leaf, petiole, cotyledon, cotyledon stalk, and root collar disc were used as explant. Different concentrations of 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic (2,4-D), 6-Benzylaminopurine (BA), 6-Furfurylaminopurine (Kinetin), 6-(γ,γ-Dimethylallylamino) purine (2iP), and Thidiazuron (TDZ) were used to induce embryogenic or organogenic regeneration. Explants were cultured in half-strength or full-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. In the embryogenic experiments, callus formation from different media ranged from 63.5% to 100%, and for explant types ranged from 39% to 100%. In the organogenic experiment, callus formation from different media ranged from 12.5% to 100%, and for explant types ranged from 71% to 93%. Also, embryo-like structures were obtained from embryogenic experiments. However, these structures could not grow more and transformed into plantlets.