Meristem culture of Prunus avium cvs. “Siyah-e-Mashhad” and “Takdane”

The present trial aimed to evaluate the effect of three media including WPM, MS and modified QL and three different hormone combinations (0, 0.5 and 1 mgL-1 BAP) with 0.1 mgL-1 GA3 and 0.1 mgL-1 IBA on regeneration of two sweet cherry cultivars cvs “Siyah-e-Mashhad” and “Takdane”. All experiments were arranged in completely randomized designed. Each treatment contained three replicates. The meristem explants were introduced in culture media supplemented with different hormonal combinations and maintained in a growth room at a 16h photoperiod (36 μmol.m-2.s-1), 25 ± 1ºC. After six weeks, Survival, necrosis and contamination percent with the number of leaf were studied. The results showed that highest survival rate was in modified QL medium complemented with 1 mgL-1 BAP and the least one was in MS medium without BAP treatments for both cultivars. Necrosis rate was high in MS (100-83.3%) in control for “Takdane” and “Siyah-e-Mashhad” cultivars, respectively that don’t have any differences with 0.5 mgL-1 BAP. The most Leaf number (12) observed in modified QL medium supplemented with 1 mgL-1 BAP in “Takdane” cultivar and the least one (2) was in MS medium without BAP application (control) in “Siyah-e-Mashhad” cultivar.