Determination of Optimum Nitrogen Ratios and Concentrations for Embryo Cultures of Alstroemeria
The rates of in ovulo germination of embryos of three genotypes of Alstroemeria were observed. Ovules were harvested ten days after pollination and cultured on sixteen different treatments containing Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium with no plant growth regulators. The media contained four different concentrations of total nitrogen: 20, 40, 60, 80 mm. Within these concentrations were either 1:0, 1:1, 1:2, or 2:1 ratios of nitrate to ammonium. Standard MS medium, with a concentration of 60 mm total nitrogen and a ratio of 2:1 nitrate to ammonium, was used as the control. The overall rates of germination for all three genotypes were low in all treatments. The percentage of zygotic germination was low while the percentage of somatic embryos produced was high. In some situations, callus or deformed embryos were produced. Effects of the treatments on embryo development and germination will be discussed.