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Adventitious Bud Development and Regeneration in Tillandsia Eizii

The bromeliad Tillandsia eizii is a striking species with large, colorful, and persistent inflorescences that can reach 1 m in length. The value of this plant as an ornamental and its importance in cultural and religious activities has led to its over-collection in the wild. Clonal propagation via tissue culture may be a means to repopulate native stands while meeting the demands for this species as an ornamental and ceremonial plant. Adventitious bud proliferation was induced from axenically germinated seedling material. Parameters evaluated were the age of explant material at the time of transfer onto bud-induction medium, the concentration of plant growth regulators, and the period of exposure to induction medium. Light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) established the origin and development of buds. Twelve-week-old seedling explants rapidly initiated adventitious buds after a 30-d induction period on shoot-initiation medium. Adventitious buds were induced in 40% of the explants placed on media with 2 mg l21 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) (8.88 mM) plus 0.1 mg l21 a-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) (0.54 mM) with some cultures becoming highly prolific after repeated subculture. Shoots elongated in proliferating cultures, and plants were successfully acclimatized and planted into the greenhouse. The results indicate that tissue culture may be used as a means to propagate this epiphytic bromeliad species, which is being seriously affected by deforestation and habitat destruction. In addition, adventitious bud proliferation can provide a means to propagate superior genotypes.