Abstract

Populus euphratica Oliver is highly tolerant against salt stress and thus very important for afforestation efforts of saline soils in sandy desert regions. Even if protocols already exist for the regeneration of shoots from leaf explants for this species, all are based on the hormones 6-benzylaminopurin (BAP) and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). An alternative and fast regeneration protocol was developed for P. euphraticastarting from leaf explants by employing the cytokinin-active urea derivative thidiazuron (TDZ) in systematically performed callus induction and shoot regeneration studies. Furthermore, evidence is provided here for the first time that sensitivity of callus induction and shoot regeneration in P. euphratica against the antibiotic cefotaxime is different, a finding to be considered for the development of a protocol to genetically transform this species.

Key words: Callus culture, organogenesis, plant growth regulators, transformation.