Micropropagation of Scaevola —Australian native of ornamental horticulture

Abstract

Summary. A number of commercially available cultivars of Scaevola aemula, S. albida, S. phlebopetala, S. striata and material collected from the wild of S. glandulifera, S. hookeri and S. ramonissima were successfully propagated by tissue culture. Shoot segments 3–4 cm in length were multiplied in Murashige and Skoog medium without hormones. Addition of 25–150 µmol kinetin/L in the micropropagation medium of S. aemula and S. phlebopetala resulted in the formation of deformed shoots. Tissue cultured shoots rooted in hormone-free medium in 4–6 weeks. Indole-3-butyric acid (10–20 µmol/L) had an effect on rate of root initiation of S. phlebopetala but not on percentage of rooting. A high survival percentage (>95%) was obtained when plants were transferred to soil under glasshouse conditions indicating that micropropagation of Scaevola is feasible.