Efficient protocols, safe from somaclonal variation, were developed for regeneration of Iris sibirica plants via organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis from leaf-base explants cultivated on Murashige and Skoog media supplemented with thidiazuron (TDZ, 1.0mg/l) or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D, 1.0mg/l). The morphogenic response and callus formation efficiency differed significantly between 2,4-D (80.9%) and TDZ (67%) morphogenesis induction treatments. TDZ induced only organogenic calli, while calli obtained with 2,4-D were composed of three types differing in color and consistency: white, friable — embryogenic calli (4.5%, 3.8mg/explant), green, compact — organogenic calli (12.4%, 48.4mg/explants) and yellow — non-regenerative calli (77.3%, 254.4mg/explant). The cultivation of embryogenic calli on medium with 2,4-D and Kinetin resulted in further development of somatic embryos (54embryos/g of calli) which germinated with a frequency of 62% after being transferred to a medium without plant growth regulators. Stable shoot cultures were established by transferring organogenic calli with shoot primordia to media with 0.1mg/l α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 1.0mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine (BA), while further cultivation on media of the same composition (TDZ or 2,4-D) resulted in the reduced growth and rhizogenesis, respectively. The TDZ induction treatment resulted in higher number of shoots per explant (7.9) than the 2,4-D treatment (4.3). After successful rooting and ex vitro acclimatization, plants were grown in the field and flowered to seed production. Flow cytometry, chromosome counting and random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis indicated no evidence of genetic variation in plants regenerated via somatic embryogenesis or organogenesis. The results suggest that established protocols are safe for use in genetic transformation procedures or large-scale production of true-to-type I. sibirica plants

Globalization has drastically reduced the number of autochthon apple cultivars in the Serbian market and most of them have nearly disappeared; however, some of these cultivars, such as Petrovača, Budimka, Kolačara Pozna, and Kožara, have extraordinary quality, good pomological characteristics, and pest and disease resistance. The present study was conducted to develop a protocol for the storage of pollen for further use in the conservation and breeding of these cultivars. Viability and germination of the mature pollen were testedin vitro, at four storage temperatures (20, 4, −20, and −80°C), right after harvest or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 months after storage. Differences in fresh pollen viability and germination between cultivars were statistically significant and ranged from 60 to 88% and 59 to 98%, respectively. Fresh pollen of cv. Budimka showed the highest viability and germination in comparison with other cultivars, especially cv. Kožara. Pollen viability and germination decreased over the storage period, and it was the lowest after 6 months of storage at room temperature in all tested cultivars. Storage at 4°C prolonged the pollen viability and germinability of 1–5 fold, depending on the cultivar and treatment duration; however, the pollen longevity of all cultivars was significantly extended when stored at −20 or −80°C. After 6 months, pollen of cv. Budimka stored at −20 and −80°C showed 14–15 fold higher germination rates in relation to pollen storage at room temperature for the same period. The results of the present study suggest that the pollen of these apple cultivars could be efficiently maintained at −20°C and could be further used for breeding purposes, e.g., for crossings between cultivars that flower at different times of the year.