In vitro culture of saffron: hormones influence on the development of new shoots and callus

With the aim to develop a protocol for production of healed microcorms and the stimulation of undifferentiated callus synthesis, meristematic apexes were sampled from corms of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium supplemented with different combinations of growth regulators. A two-step protocol for increasing the percentage of non-contaminated explants starting from open field material was developed. Differentiation of microcorms was obtained on medium containing NAA 0.5 mg. l-1 and 6BAP 2 mg. l-1. Callogenesis was induced in absence of growth regulators, from in vitro growing microcorms, or after supplementing the medium with an auxin, cytokinin and coconut milk.