Petiole segments, basal and distal leaf disks were cultivated in MS medium to determine an adequate protocol to obtain shoots of Begonia rieger. The MS medium was used with four combinations of naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and kinetin, respectively: 0.01 + 0.1; 0.05 + 0.5; 0.1 + 1.0; 0.2 + 2.0mg/l, and in two combinations of NAA and thidiazuron (TDZ), respectively: 0.01 + 0.1 and 0.01 + 0.25mg/l. Basal leaf disks were more effective to form shoots (60 to 80%) without roots. However petiole segments were more effective to form rooted shoots. The concentration of 0.1 mg/l of NAA plus 1.0mg/l of Kinetin was more effective to form shoots from distal leaf disks. The TDZ at smaller concentration was more effective to form shoots without roots (60%). It induced more shoots than kinetin. The distal leaf disks produced more shoots with 0.1 mg/l of NAA and 1.0mg/l of kinetin. The smaller concentration of TDZ induced more shoots, 80 and 90%, respectively, for distal and basal leaf disks. For petiole segments the highest TDZ concentration induced more shoots. In both TDZ concentrations the explants remained in active vegetative growth, oposed as observed for kinetin.
multiplication in vitro; thidiazuron; naphthaleneacetic acid, kinetin; Begonia
