A tissue culture technique for vegetative propagation and low temperature preservation of Beta vulgaris

Summary A tissue culture technique for clonal propagation of Beta vulgaris is described. Flower buds or flower bud clusters formed adventitious shoots on half-strength Murashige & Skoog's medium supplemented with 10 mol/l benzyladenine (BA). The shoots were multiplied by axillary bud proliferation on a medium with 1 mol/l BA and rooted on a medium with 10 mol/l indolebutyric acid. The plants were vegetative. No mutations were observed. Genotypic variation was found in shoot formation, shoot multiplication and rooting. Some genotypes showed leaf malformations which were attributed to BA. Rooted plants in culture tubes could be stored for one year at 2 or 5°C and a low light intensity.