ADVENTITIOUS SHOOT REGENERATION FROM LEAF EXPLANTS OF THE PERSIMMON (DIOSPYROS KAKI THUNB.) CV. 'ROJO BRILLANTE'

Conventional breeding of fruit trees is a slow process due to their long generation time as well as high degree of heterozygosis of these species. Biotechnology techniques and in vitro tissue culture, which includes genetic transformation, are considered promising for the improvement of these species. An efficient protocol for regeneration of whole plants is a prerequisite for the development of an efficient Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system. The objective of this paper was to develop a protocol for plant regeneration of Diospyros kaki Thunb. cv. ‘Rojo Brillante’ via organogenesis from leaf explants. Combined phytohormones and dosage were evaluated for regeneration. The best regeneration efficiencies (29.2%) were obtained with 9 mg/L zeatin in combination with 0.1 mg/L naphtalenacetic acid. The cultures were maintained in the dark for 20 days followed by incubation under photoperiod conditions. Shoots were micrografted in vitro onto seedling rootstocks. The rootstocks came from Diospyros virginiana L. seedlings; they were micrografted after 6 to 8 days after germination.