MATERIALS AND METHODS
Explant sources and sterilization. The stock plants for this study were collected from Kampung Serambu, Bau District in the Kuching Division, Sarawak. Rhizome buds about 1 to 2 cm long were selected as the initial explants. The fresh buds collected were cleaned of soil dirt and left under running tap water for one to one and a half hour. Then the buds were immersed in 75% (w/v) ethanol for one minute. Without rinsing, they were agitate din 20, 30 or 40 % (w/v) Clorox (5.25 % w/v sodium hypochlorite) added with 0.1ml/L Tween 20 and four drops of 25% HCl for 20 minutes with constant agitation. After that they rinsed with sterile distilled water four times. Under aseptic conditions the bud scales were peeled off and then trimmed to about 0.5 cm long.
Culture medium.