An in vitro Screening for Tomato Genotypes Exhibiting Efficient Shoot Regeneration

Abstract

Over 100 genotypes of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum, wild relatives and suspected interspecific crosses) were assayed for shoot regeneration from in vitro cultured hypocotyl segments. Expiants incubated for 8 weeks in Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 2% glucose, 1 mg zeatin and 0.02 mg · l(-1) IAA, exhibited the best overall shoot regeneration. A wide variability in this response was observed, and approximately one-fourth (23/89) of the L. esculentum tested genotypes exhibited relatively high differentiation capabilities (>5 shoots per expiant).