Explants from aseptically germinated seedlings were used to establish in vitro cultures. In several cases when seeds were not available actively growing shoots were excised from plants grown in the fi eld. Explants were surface sterilised with commercial bleach ACE, in case of seeds– without dilution, in cases of shoot apexes – half diluted, for 7 to 20 min, then rinsed in sterile distilled water for three times. The sterile explants were placed in culture vessels on hormone free Murashige and Skoog (1962; MS) basal medium or on MS medium supplemented with growth regulators [0.1 to 0.5 mg l-1 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), 0.1 to 0.5 mg l-1 kinetine, 0.1 to 0.5 mg l-1 indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)]. They were stored in a growth chamber at 24 ºC with a 16-h photoperiod.