Use of meristem tip culture to eliminate carnation latent virus from carnation plants.

A successful protocol for meristem tip culture to eliminate carnation latent virus from carnation cv. scania has been described . The virus was found to be mechanically transmissible to Chenopodium quinoa, C. amaranticolor, Dianthus barbatus and Saponaria vaccaria. Murashige and Skoog'smedium (MS) supplemented with NAA (1.0 microM) and Kn (20.0 microM) proved best for meristem establishment and microshoots were rooted in MS medium supplemented with IBA (5.0 microM). Meristems measuring 0.1 and-0.2 mm yielded virus free plants and larger meristems were not effective.