In vitro production of sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus L.) via axillary shoots.

The genus Lathyrus is best known because it includes a number of wild relatives of the protein pea which, despite being generally neglected and under-utilised, hold considerable potential as a useful genetic resource for the acquisition of interesting stress resistant traits important for a sustainable agriculture. However, also included in this genus are important commercially produced species with a significant ornamental value, among which the sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus L.). Surprisingly though, there are no formal reports on the in vitro propagation of this species and, generally, these are scanty for in vitro approaches with all species of Lathyrus. Here, we describe simple, yet reliable strategies for the culture and multiplication of several landraces and species of Lathyrus including sweet peas.