Somatic embryogenesis and encapsulation of immature bulblets of an ornamental species, grape hyacinths (Muscari armeniacum Leichtlin ex Baker)

An efficient in vitro regeneration system was developed for the ornamental Muscari armeniacum on Linsmaier and Skoog basal medium (LS) supplemented with benzyladenine (BA) at varying concentrations (0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 mg/L) alone or in combination with 0.5 mg/L α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). The highest mean number of direct somatic embryo formations was observed on LS medium containing 2.0 mg/L BA and 0.5 mg/L NAA, with a mean of 7.9 somatic embryos per explant after 10 weeks of culture. Green nodular calli induced on LS medium containing 5.0 mg/L BA alone or in combination with 0.5 mg/L NAA were transferred to LS medium supplemented with or without 0.5 mg/L gibberellic acid (GA3) for 8 weeks, producing 23.3 immature bulblets. Immature bulblets produced in vitro were either embedded in a sodium alginate matrix for the encapsulation process or were transferred directly to LS medium supplemented with or without GA3 at 0.5 or 1.0 mg/L for growth and development for 6 weeks. Encapsulated bulblets were then stored at 4 °C in darkness for 10 weeks and almost all encapsulated bulblets retained their viability and resumed their growth under nonaxenic greenhouse conditions.