Media and Culture Conditions
A medium used for multiple shoot induction was Hyponex medium [11] containing 3g/L (6.5N-6P-19K) Hyponex, 100g/L potato homogenate, 2g/L peptone, 2.5g/L sucrose, 1g/L activated charcoal and 2.5g/L gelrite. The medium was supplemented with 0.45 or 2.25µM Thidiazuron (TDZ) or 4.44 or 8.88µM N6-benzyladenine (BA) or 2.32 or 4.65µM kinetin (Kn) alone or in combinations with 4.52 or 13.56µM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). The pH of all media was adjusted to 5.4 prior to adding gelrite and autoclaving. Explants were cultured, in 240mL glass jars containing 50mL of culture medium, for 15 weeks. All cultured were incubated at 24±1°C and under a 16-h photoperiod at 35–40µmol⋅m-2⋅s-1 provided by cool-white fluorescent lamps.