High rate of virus-free plantlet regeneration via garlic scape-tip culture.

Shoot cultures of Allium sativum L. were established from stem-tip and scape-tip. Various combinations of media, growth regulators were compared. The best establishment and proliferation of stem-tip and scape-tip explants were obtained on MS medium containing 0.5 mg l(-1) NAA and 0.5 mg l(-1) KT. The roots were produced and the bulblets were formed after the micro-shoots were transferred to the hormone-free MS medium. The virus of each tube-plant was detected by ELISA. The virus elimination rates of plantlets from stem-tip with 3 leaf primordia, with 1-2 leaf primordia, and scape-up were 26.5%, 45.4%, and 77.6% respectively. The procedure of scape-tip culture would be applied for virus elimination to the species propagated vegetatively.