Regeneration of Cuphea tolucana Peyr. in in vitro culture.

In order to regenerate Cuphea tolucana from hypocotyl, cotyledon and root explants, a solid culture and 8 hormone combinations were used. Only the root explants did not react to any of the media. On most of the media, the other explants formed shoots, roots or callus, or their reaction was more complex. The regeneration probably occurred via direct organogenesis. The regenerants displayed a wide variety of morphological characteristics. However, their offspring did not show any differences from plants, which had not undergone culture.

Regeneration of Cuphea wrightii (Peyr 651) and fertile C.wrightii C. tolucana hybrids from leaf explants.

Callus was obtained from leaf explants of Cupea wrightii and Cuphea wrightii x Cuphea tolucana hybrid plants, and the plants were later regenerated. C. tolucana explants were capable of forming callus, but not of regenerating. In order to obtain callus from C. wrightii and the hybrid plants, the addition of BAP to the medium was necessary, whereas in the case of C. tolucana auxin was needed. The regeneration of the plants did not require auxin, and both forms (C. wrightii and the hybrids) regenerated in the same medium. The regeneration yield came to around 12 plants from the callus of one harvest. Some of the callus from the hybrids was subjected to colchicine treatment, which increased the number of fully fertile regenerants from 1% to almost 20%.