In vitro propagation of red squill, Urginea maritima Baker

Abstract

Red squill (Urginea maritima Baker), a plant in the Liliaceae of potential use as a rodenticide, was successfully propagated in vitro. Bulblets were induced from red squill bulb-scales cultured in the dark on a medium containing Murashige and Skoog [6] salts supplemented with a combination of 0.5 or 1.6 μM naphthaleneacetic acid and 0.4 or 1.3 μM 6-benzylaminopurine. Bulblets induced in vitro were rooted in medium containing 0.5 or 1.6 μM naphthaleneacetic acid and planted in vermiculite. Bulb-scale explants could be returned to fresh medium regenerate new bulblets, which were easily rooted. Alternatively, bulblets could be subcultured to regenerate adventitious shoots in medium containing 4.4 or 13.2 μM 6-benzylaminopurine. Shoots regenerated in this manner proved difficult to root by a number of treatments tested. Regenerated bulblets were chilled at 5C for 3 to 4 weeks to induce leaf emergence prior to transfer to the greenhouse.