STUDIES ON THE TWIN-SCALE PROPAGATION OF CHINESE SACRED LILY I.THE MORPHOGENESIS OF BULBLETS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF PLANTLETS

The bulbs of Chinese sacred lily ( Narcissus tazetta var.chinensis ) have been propagated by twin-scale method.During incubation .of the twin-sca-le segments in vermiculite,one to three bulblets are formed, usually on the edge of basal plate, between the scale pieces, but occasionally on the outside of the either scale of the segment. One or more adventitious roots may grow from the basal plate of the twin-scale segment or from the ba-sal plate of the new bulblet itself.In October and November, some of the bulblets grow out one to two green leaves. when the bulblets have got their own roots and leaves, they are transplanted to soil in pots,and then they will take higher survival rate than that of dormant bulblets Histological observation of the propagule before incubation indicates that no obvious difference can be found on cytology, as the upper cells of basal plate on the twin-scale segment are compared with the cells of the surrounding tissue.The result of cutting stimulation,makes the upper cells of the basal plate return to meristematic condition and develop one or more axillary bud primordium which will form the new bulblets, thus causes the propagation by twin-scale method possible.