Aurel Popescu

The feasibility of in vitro propagation of intergeneric hybrid Fragaria x Potentilla,named “Serenata -was tested by using six MS and, respectively, six LF - basedproliferation media supplemented with different combinations and concentrations ofbenzylaminopurine (BAP), kinetin (Kin), indolylacetic acid (IAA), 3-indolylbutiric acid (IBA),and giberellic acid (GA3). A high multiplication rate combined with good quality ofproliferated shoots and in vitro rooting potential was induced by media containing 1.0 mg/lBAP, 1.0 mg/l IAA and 0.1 mg/l GA3. Ten primers (from 48 previously tested) wereselected and used in RAPD analysis to assess the genetic stability of these shoots. Thelack of polymorphisms in micropropagated plants screened through molecular markerswas proved by identity of the banding patterns.

This paper presents a methodology of obtaining whole tomato plants from anther culture and their characterization. Year 1: the initiation of anther cultures and in vitro development of the new regenerated structures. Year 2: phenotypic characterization of plantlets acclimatized to ex vitro conditions, and their molecular analysis with SSR markers. Year 3: morphological characterization of plants obtained by germination of seeds from plants that fruited in the previous year and their molecular analysis with SSR markers. The phenotype descriptors and the SSR markers revealed differences among the regenerants and the donor variety. The uniformity of the genetic profiles with SSR markers in plants obtained from seeds of androgenic plants, but with several differences in comparison to anther-donor plants, indicates that some of the regenerated plantlets may have microspore origin

This paper presents a methodology of obtaining whole tomato plants from anther culture and their characterization. Year 1: the initiation of anther cultures and in vitro development of the new regenerated structures. Year 2: phenotypic characterization of plantlets acclimatized to ex vitro conditions, and their molecular analysis with SSR markers. Year 3: morphological characterization of plants obtained by germination of seeds from plants that fruited in the previous year and their molecular analysis with SSR markers. The phenotype descriptors and the SSR markers revealed differences among the regenerants and the donor variety. The uniformity of the genetic profiles with SSR markers in plants obtained from seeds of androgenic plants, but with several differences in comparison to anther-donor plants, indicates that some of the regenerated plantlets may have microspore origin.

The genotoxicity of the pesticide Folpan was evaluated in meristematic root cells of Tulipa gesneriana cv. 'Leen van der Mark'. The statistical analyses of the results showed that the pesticide studied has a concentration-dependent toxicity and induces chromosomal aberrations. The lowest mitotic index (2,69%) was related with the highest tested concentration of Folpan (900 ppm). Various types of chromosomal and mitotic abnormalities such as binucleated cells, laggards, and disturbed ana-telophase with multiple chromosomal bridges revealed the clastogenic potential of pesticide tested.

Although the conventional methods of improvement have changed significantly throughout the last fifty years, additional tools and novel approaches are needed in order to fasten the process of creation new and highly valuable tulip varieties. The genetic base of tulip production can be preserved and widen by an integration of biotechnology tools in conventional breeding. Micropropagation in vitro may produce very fast large numbers of vigorous plants with high quality and free of endogenous pathogens. The in vitro rescue of embryos resulted from interspecific crosses between more or less distant species, chromosome doubling, somaclonal variation, transformation, and marker-aided selection and breeding are just a few of the examples of the applications of biotechnology in tulip improvement. This review provides an overview of the opportunities presented by the integration of plant biotechnology into the tulip improvement efforts.

In order to establish the major factors affecting in vitro micropropagation of intergeneric hybrids Fragaria × Potentilla, respectively ‘Pink Panda’ and ‘Serenata’, basic culture media Murashige-Skoog (MS), Lee-Fossard (LF) and Knop, were supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), kinetine (Kin), indole-3-acetic acid (AIA), indole-3butyric acid (AIB) and gibberellic acid (GA3), in different combination and concentration. In ornamental strawberry ‘Serenata’, which showed a genetic potential of shoot regeneration significantly higher compared with ‘Pink Panda’, a high multiplication rate associated with a high vigor of shoots was obtained on MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l BAP + 0.1 mg/l AIB + 0.1 mg/l GA3. The same combination of growth regulators, added in MS medium in higher concentrations, namely 1.0 mg/l BAP + 0.2 mg/l AIB + 0.1 mg/l GA3 led to the highest rate of multiplication in ‘Pink Panda’ intergeneric hybrid of Fragaria × Potentilla.

Since the expression of a high ability for in vitro regeneration and proliferation is a very importan condition for any biotechnological approach for clonal propagation, t he influence of genotype and culture medium composi tion on the number of shoots regenerated and their length in su ccessive subcultures was investigated in Aronia mel anocarpa (Michx.) Elliot cultivars ‘Melrom’ and ‘Nero’. Choke berry cultivar ‘Nero’ showed a significantly higher ability of regeneration compared to the cultivar ‘Melrom’, the greatest number of shoots being obtained with the basal medium containing MS macroelements, LF microelements and LF vitamins, supplemented with 4,5 mg×dm -3 BA and 0,6 mg×dm IBA.

Due to their extreme popularity as fresh cut flowers and garden plants, and being used extensively for landscaping, tulips undergone a continuous process of selective breeding. For almost nine decades, classical cytogenetic studies, mainly the chromosome counts, have been an important part in the breeding programme for polyploid tulips. The efficiency of breeding is greatly aided by a thorough knowledge of the occurrence of polyploidy in the plant material. While the traditional cytogenetic approaches are still highly useful in selecting polyploids and aneuploids arising from crosses involving (most often) parents of different ploidy or from the material subjected to ploidy manipulation, the new strategies for inducing polyploidy in tulips, either in vivo or in vitro, and advances in molecular cytogenetics are expected to allow a significant increase in breeding efficiency. Together with the shortening of breeding cycle, major genetic improvements could be made for specific traits. ...

Using liquid culture medium provided with filter-paper bridges, a simple plant regeneration system via organogenesis from leaf and petiole explants of two intergeneric hybrids Fragaria x Potentilla , named 'Pink Panda' and 'Serenata', has been developed. The regeneration capacity of the explants was influenced by the light condition and plant growth regulators concentration. Dark incubation during the first 6 weeks, followed by the transfer of the cultures under a photoperiod of 16 hours light/8 hours darkness, at a relatively low intensity of light was the most effective condition to successfully induce shoots regeneration in both intergeneric hybrids. The pretreatment darkness of 21 days, followed by the cultures transferring under a photoperiod of 16 hours light/8 hours darkness and a light intensity of about 40 µmol m -2 s -1 has been associated with an incapacity of calluses to form adventitious buds, regardless of the explant type or hormonal balance. Optimal s...

The use of tissue culture in the regeneration and commercial propagation of economically important plants is a comparative recent and radical development. Advances in biotechnology provided new methods for rapid production of high quality, disease-free and uniform planting material. Biotechnological tools like in vitro culture and micropropagation offer a valuable alternative in fruit trees propagation studies, virus control and management of genetic resources. At the Research Institute for Fruit Growing Pitesti the technique of in vitro micropropagation was employed since 1975. Its objectives were virus elimination from certain strawberry cultivars by meristem culture, rapid propagation under aseptic conditions and in vitro preservation of strawberry germplasm. Subsequently, the tissue culture research was extended to many other fruit species, such as blackberry, raspberry, currant, gooseberry, apple, pear, quince, plum, sweet cherry, and sour cherry. The applied research was focus...

Shoot regeneration from leaf discs excised from in vitro micropropagated raspberry plants (‘Cayuga’) was induced with high efficiency by indirect and direct organogenesis, when cultured on Lee and Fossard medium, supplemented with combinations of benzyladenine (BA) at 4.4, 13.3 or 22.2 mM, and either 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) at 2.2 or 4.5 mM, or 3-indoleacetic acid (IAA) at 5.7 mM, respectively with BA (at the same concentrations mentioned above) and 3-indolebutyric acid (IBA) at 0.5 mM. The percentage of leaf discs regenerating shoots was strongly dependent of the cytokinin/auxin ratio and a significantly higher frequency of shoot regeneration was obtained from leaf-derived calli, reaching 100% when 2,4-D at 2.2 mM and BA at 13.3 mM were present in the culture medium, as compared with only 46.7-73.3% for direct organogenesis. Not only the frequency of regenerating explants, but also the number of shoots formed per callus (with an average of 3.8) was significantly higher in the case of indirect organogenesis as compared with direct organogenesis.

... Tables Table 1. Small fruit genotypes maintained in the in vitro germplasm collection at the FRI Pitesti. Species Strawberry Raspberry Blackberry Benton Paros Autumn Bliss Adrienne Cabot Patty Babie Leta Arapaho Calypso Premial Bulgarski Rubin Bedford Giant ...

'Magic' is one of the Romanian strawberry cultivars widely grown in recent years, mainly due to its high yields and excellent flavor. Therefore, micropropagation of large quantities of planting material from this cv. is at high demand. In order to test the ability of cv. 'Magic' for large scale micropropagation, meristem-derived plantlets were cultured on solid Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with N 6-benzyladenine and indole-acetic acid. The number of shoots formed per meristem-derived plantlet varied largely in successive subcultures, with an average multiplication rate during the first three subcultures of 5.44, 17.05 and 21.5, respectively. The length of micropropagated shoots (revealing their vigour) was found to be strongly dependent on their number. Almost all the developed shoots were vigorous enough for further multiplication by subculturing them on fresh MS medium every four weeks.

Due to outstanding nutritional and health benefits, and also to its ornamental value, black chokeberry was gaining recently high interest from the small fruit growers in Europe. Together with vegetative propagation, in vitro micropropagation from meristems and adventitious shoots offers suitable methods for the rapid clonal propagation of
new or improved cultivars, to provide sufficient quantities of planting material to the growers and to accelerate the establishment of large black chokeberry plantings. In this respect, different concentrations of N6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and indole butyric acid (IBA) in Murashige and Skoog (MS) and Lee-
Fossard (LF) basic culture media, respectively, were assessed for their effects on adventitious shoot regeneration of the black chokeberry cultivar 'Nero'. The ability of callus formation and shoot regeneration from petiole segments was assessed using various combinations of BAP (2.5; 5.0; 10 mg L–1), 2,4-D (0.25; 0.5; 1.0 mg L–1), and IBA (0.25; 0.5; 1.0 mg L–1). Data on callus formation and shoot regeneration were recorded after 60 days of culture. The highest percentage of black chokeberry petiole explants forming callus (100%) was found in treatments containing a combination of 2.5 mg L–1 of BAP, 0.25 mg L–1 of 2,4-D, and 0.25 mg L–1 of IBA in MS medium. The only growth
regulators combination which resulted in 100% petiole explants forming callus on both MS and LF media was 5 mg L–1 of BAP, 0.5 mg L–1 of 2,4-D, and 0.5 mg L–1 of IBA. Adventitious shoot regeneration from petiole-derived callus was high in treatments with 10 mg L–1 and 1.0 mg L–1 IBA, on both MS and LF basic media. Excepting the cytokinin-auxin combination of 2.5 mg L–1 of BAP, 0.25 mg L–1 of 2,4-D and 0.25 mg L–1 of IBA, shoot regeneration from petioles of 'Nero' cv. was better on MS medium. However, the best adventitious regeneration and the highest
number of shoots formed per explant ocurred by direct organogenesis. Thus, an average number of 4.3 shoots per petiole explant was achieved through direct organogenesis on MS medium supplemented with BAP at 5 mg L–1, 0.5 mg L–1 of 2,4-D, and 0.5 mg L–1 of IBA.

In order to develop a protocol for high efficiency in vitro propagation of Fragaria x Potentilla varieties, the response of Serenata and Pink Panda was investigated on MS and LF culture media supplemented with different combinations of growth regulators. In vitro performance of explants indicated a positive correlation between shoot proliferation and genotype in Serenata variety. The mean number of shoots formed per explant was higher when Serenata hybrids were subcultured on MS or LF medium, irrespective of the combination of growth regulators, compared with Pink Panda, characterized by a very low response to in vitro culture. In Serenata genotype, the highest rate of proliferation was achieved on medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/l BAP, 2.0 mg/l GA3 and 0.5 mg/l Kin.

Since the expression of a high ability for in vitro regeneration and proliferation is a very important condition for any biotechnological approach for clonal propagation, the influence of genotype and culture medium composition on the number of shoots regenerated and their length in successive subcultures was investigated in Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliot cultivars 'Melrom' and 'Nero'. Chokeberry cultivar 'Nero' showed a significantly higher ability of regeneration compared to the cultivar 'Melrom', the greatest number of shoots being obtained with the basal medium containing MS macroelements, LF microelements and LF vitamins, supplemented with 4,5 mg×dm-3 BA and 0,6 mg×dm-3 IBA.

The cyto-genotoxic potential of fungicide Dithane M-45 on the
root meristem cells of Tulipa praestans Hoog. cv. ‘Unicum’ and antimicrobial effects on some bacterial strains were investigated for concentrations lower than those currently used in agricultural practice. The results indicate a stimulating effect of the treatments with this fungicide on mitotic division, associated with a higher frequency of chromosomal
aberrations for all concentrations tested, and for all root harvesting periods. The high sensitivity of root meristem cells of Tulipa praestans cv. ‘Unicum’ to the fungicide action suggest the potential of this species to be used as a plant system for detecting the mutagenicity and genotoxicity, mainly the clastogenic and aneugenic effects, of various chemicals. However, only a slight antibacterial effect against the tested bacteria was observed in the paper disc and agar well
diffusion assays.

The ability of the strawberry cvs. Aiko, Dana, Gorella and Premial to regenerate plants by organogenesis from leaf blade and petiole explants obtained from in vitro micropropagated plantlets was investigated. After an initial dark treatment of two weeks, both types of explants cultured on Murashige-Skoog medium supplemented with 2.4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 6-benzyladenine were transferred to light. Maximum callus formation was achieved in a range from 94.2 % (Dana) to 100% (Premial). The differentiation of plants was induced on the same medium in eight to sixteen weeks. With all tested cultivars the regeneration process started earlier with leaf derived callus. Shoot organogenesis from both types of explants was strongly influenced by cytokinin concentration. The highest number of regenerated shoots per explant was obtained in the treatments with low auxin and high cytokinin concentration. This study revealed that the organogenetic potential in Fragaria × ananassa Duch. is highly dependent on genotype and to a certain extent on explant type.

Shoot regeneration from leaf discs excised from in vitro micropropagated raspberry plants (‘Cayuga’) was induced with high efficiency by indirect and direct organogenesis, when cultured on Lee and Fossard medium, supplemented with combinations of benzyladenine (BA) at 4.4, 13.3 or 22.2 mM, and either 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) at 2.2 or 4.5 mM, or 3-indoleacetic acid (IAA) at 5.7 mM, respectively with BA (at the same concentrations mentioned above) and 3-indolebutyric acid (IBA) at 0.5 mM. The percentage of leaf discs regenerating shoots was strongly dependent of the cytokinin/auxin ratio and a significantly higher frequency of shoot regeneration was obtained from leaf-derived calli, reaching 100% when 2,4-D at 2.2 mM and BA at 13.3 mM were present in the culture medium, as compared with only 46.7-73.3% for direct organogenesis. Not only the frequency of regenerating explants, but also the number of shoots formed per callus (with an average of 3.8) was significantly higher in the case of indirect organogenesis as compared with direct organogenesis.

Due to their extreme popularity as fresh cut flowers and garden plants, and being used extensively for landscaping, tulips undergone a continuous process of selective breeding. For almost nine decades, classical cytogenetic studies, mainly the chromosome counts, have been an important part in the breeding programme for polyploid tulips. The efficiency of breeding is greatly aided by a thorough knowledge of the occurrence of polyploidy in the plant material.
While the traditional cytogenetic approaches are still highly useful in selecting polyploids and aneuploids arising from
crosses involving (most often) parents of different ploidy or from the material subjected to ploidy manipulation, the new
strategies for inducing polyploidy in tulips, either in vivo or in vitro, and advances in molecular cytogenetics are
expected to allow a significant increase in breeding efficiency. Together with the shortening of breeding cycle, major genetic improvements could be made for specific traits. In this we review the development of cytogenetic studies in tulips, and the most relevant achievements so far, providing an overview of what we consider to be valuable tools for the processes of selective breeding.

The cytogenetic effects exerted by the systemic fungicide mefenoxam and copper hydroxide (the active ingredients of Ridomil Gold Plus 42,5 WP fungicide) were studied in root tips of Allium cepa L. A progressive concentration- and time-related inhibition of the mitotic activity of meristematic cells was observed. The mitotic index was minimum (3.38%) at the highest concentration (1500 ppm) of the fungicide tested. The genotoxicity of the fungicide was measured by using the frequency of chromosomal aberrations. The highest percent of abnormal cells (8.39%) were determined for the lowest concentration of 100 ppm of Ridomil. The high frequency of sticky chromosomes, laggard and multipolarity indicated that the investigated fungicide caused abnormal DNA condensation, abnormal chromosome coiling and inactivation of the spindles, having an aneugenic potential.

The feasibility of in vitro propagation of intergeneric hybrid Fragaria x Potentilla, named “Serenata" was tested by using six MS and, respectively, six LF-based proliferation media supplemented with different combinations and concentrations of benzylaminopurine (BAP), kinetin (Kin), indolylacetic acid (IAA), 3-indolylbutiric acid (IBA), and giberellic acid (GA3). A high multiplication rate combined with good quality of proliferated shoots and in vitro rooting potential was induced by media containing 1.0 mg/l BAP, 1.0 mg/l IAA and 0.1 mg/l GA3. Ten primers (from 48 previously tested) were selected and used in RAPD analysis to assess the genetic stability of these shoots. The lack of polymorphisms in micropropagated plants screened through molecular markers was proved by identity of the banding patterns.

Although the conventional methods of improvement have changed significantly throughout the last fifty years, additional tools and novel approaches are needed in order to fasten the process of creation new and highly valuable tulip varieties.
The genetic base of tulip production can be preserved and widen by an integration of biotechnology tools in conventional breeding. Micropropagation in vitro may produce very fast large numbers of vigorous plants with high quality and free of endogenous pathogens. The in vitro rescue of embryos resulted from interspecific crosses
between more or less distant species, chromosome doubling, somaclonal variation, transformation, and marker-aided
selection and breeding are just a few of the examples of the applications of biotechnology in tulip improvement. This
review provides an overview of the opportunities presented by the integration of plant biotechnology into the tulip
improvement efforts.

As some of the ornamental varieties of strawberry obtained from Fragaria x Potentilla crosses are lacking the ability to form runners, their in vitro propagation is dependent on either direct or indirect organogenesis. The influence of culture medium composition and explant type were investigated in two genotypes of ornamental strawberry, “Pink Panda” and “Serenata”, respectively, in order to establish an efficient protocol for regeneration by indirect organogenesis. Aiming to a good rate of callogenesis and shoot regeneration, the effect of different combinations and concentration of growth regulators (2,4-D, IBA, and BAP) added in culture media (either MS or LF) were evaluated with leaf and petiole explants. It was found that the highest frequency of explants forming callus have been induced in both varieties investigated on the LF basal medium containing 0.5 mg/l or 1.0 mg/l 2.4-D and, respectively, 3.0 mg/l BAP. A maximum of 100% leaf explants, and 92% petiole explants formed calli having characteristics of those regenerating shoots in “Serenata” variety. Similarly, a maximum of 92% petiole explants formed callus in “Pink Panda” intergeneric variety.

In order to establish the major factors affecting in vitro micropropagation of intergeneric hybrids Fragaria ×
Potentilla, respectively ‘Pink Panda’ and ‘Serenata’, basic culture media Murashige-Skoog (MS), Lee-Fossard (LF) and Knop, were supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), kinetine (Kin), indole-3-acetic acid (AIA), indole-3-butyric acid (AIB) and gibberellic acid (GA3), in different combination and concentration. In ornamental strawberry ‘Serenata’, which showed a genetic potential of shoot regeneration significantly higher compared with ‘Pink Panda’, a high multiplication rate associated with a high vigor of shoots was obtained on MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l BAP + 0.1 mg/l AIB + 0.1 mg/l GA3. The same combination of growth regulators, added in MS medium in higher concentrations, namely 1.0 mg/l BAP + 0.2 mg/l AIB + 0.1 mg/l GA3 led to the highest rate of multiplication in ‘Pink Panda’ intergeneric hybrid of Fragaria × Potentilla.

In order to develop a protocol for high efficiency in vitro propagation of two intergeneric Fragaria x Potentilla
varieties, ‘Serenata’ and ‘Pink Panda’ respectively, the influence of season on the rate of multiplication was investigated in shoot
cultures on Murashige and Skoog (MS) and Lee and Fossard (LF) media, supplemented with different combinations of growth
regulators. In vitro performance of explants indicated a positive correlation between shoot proliferation and season in both
genotypes of ornamental strawberry. The mean number of shoots formed per explant was higher when ‘Serenata’ and ‘Pink Panda’ varieties were subcultured on MS or LF media, in the active growing season, irrespective of the culture medium composition. In both ornamental strawberry varieties, the mean number of shoots formed per explant was slightly higher when subcultured on MS medium, in the spring and summer season, as compared to LF medium, which was proven to be the most effective in the cold season.

As an important stage in micropropagating ornamental strawberry, in vitro rooting of microshoots on media
containing different concentrations of auxins was investigated in two intergeneric hybrids Fragaria x Potentilla, respectively “Pink
Panda” and “Serenata”. IBA at either 0.25 or 0.5 mg/l, and IAA at 0.5 mg/l concentration, were added to solidified Murashige and
Skoog (1962) basal medium containing half strenght macroelements and half Lee-Fossard microelements. In all treatments, 0.1 mg/l
of GA3 was also added to the basal medium. IBA was found to be the most effective auxin in promoting rhizogenesis, with the
concentration 0.25 mg/l giving the highest rooting rates for both varieties, respectively 100% for “Pink Panda”, and 80% for
“Serenata”.

The effect of growth regulators, explant source and culture age on genetic stability of plants obtained from tissue culture propagation of ornamental strawberry “Serenata” were examined. Genomic DNAs of in vitro-derived shoots and control
plant were extracted and compared by RAPD-PCR analyses. Ten primers (from 48 previously tested) were selected and used in
RAPD analysis to prove the clonal fidelity (i.e. genetic stability) of the tissue culture-derived ornamental strawberry plants. The lack of polymorphisms in micropropagated plants screened through molecular markers was used to suggest genetic fidelity. Identicaly banding patterns of the RAPD profiles obtaining from vitroplants, regenerated via organogenesis or meristems culture, suggested that in the ornamental strawberry, variety “Serenata”, neither explant source, nor callus age or limited number of subcultures, in basal media supplemented with low concentration of growth regulators, were associated with occurence of somaclonal variation.

Using liquid culture medium provided with filter-paper bridges, a simple plant regeneration system via organogenesis
from leaf and petiole explants of two intergeneric hybrids Fragaria x Potentilla, named ‘Pink Panda’ and ‘Serenata’, has been
developed. The regeneration capacity of the explants was influenced by the light condition and plant growth regulators
concentration. Dark incubation during the first 6 weeks, followed by the transfer of the cultures under a photoperiod of 16 hours
light/8 hours darkness, at a relatively low intensity of light was the most effective condition to successfully induce shoots
regeneration in both intergeneric hybrids. The pretreatment darkness of 21 days, followed by the cultures transferring under a
photoperiod of 16 hours light/8 hours darkness and a light intensity of about 40 μmol m-2 s-1 has been associated with an incapacity
of calluses to form adventitious buds, regardless of the explant type or hormonal balance. Optimal shoot regeneration was obtained
with BAP in a concentration of 3.0 mg/l, in combination with 1.0 mg/l IBA, added to modified Murashige-Skoog medium. Shoot
regeneration frequency were as high as 54.66% in ‘Serenata’ genotype and 43.33% in ‘Pink Panda’ genotype.

The feasibility of in vitro propagation of ‘Pink Panda’ and ‘Serenata’ genotypes (Fragaria x
Potentilla) was tested by using six MS-based proliferation media supplemented with different
combinations of BAP at 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 mg l-1, Kin at 0.5 mg l-1, IAA at 0.5 or 1.0 mg l-1, IBA at 0.1 or
0.2 mg l-1, and GA3 at 0.1 or 2.0 mg l-1. Rate of micropropagation was the highest for ‘Serenata’
genotype, giving a maximum number of 23.65 shoots per explant on MS medium augmented with 0.5
mg l-1 BAP, 0.5 mg l-1 IAA and 0.1 mg l-1 GA3. Multiple shoots were also induced, for both intergeneric
hybrids, when combinations of 1.0 mg l-1 BAP and 0.1 mg l-1 GA3 , with either 0.2 mg/l IBA or 1.0 mg/l
IAA, have been added in the basic media. Rooting was best induced in shoots grown on half-strength
MS medium with IBA at 0.25 mg l-1 and GA3 at 0.1 mg l-1 concentration. Plantlets were successfully
acclimatized and established in soil.

In order to evaluate the genetic stability and uniformity of ornamental strawberry plants micropropagated
by using a new and highly efficient protocol we have developed recently, RAPD markers were used with intergeneric
hybrids ‘Pink Panda’ and ‘Serenata’. Micropropagated shoots selected at random from four subcultures onto either
Murashige & Skoog or Lee & Fossard media, each of them supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) at 1.0 mg l-1,
indolylacetic acid (IAA) at 1.0 mg l-1 and gibberellic acid (GA3) at 0.1mg l-1, were subjected to molecular analysis. Ten
deca-nucleotide primers (among 48 tested) were chosen for RAPD analysis, all of them indicating genetic stability for
micropropagated plants of the investigated varieties of ornamental strawberry.

Progresele înregistrate în sudiile de genomică au declanșat o revoluție în cercetarea fundamentală și aplicativă, în primul rând în domenii cum sunt medicina și agricultura. Se afirmă că genomica va transforma știința și tehnologia și va stârni un val extins de inovații. De aceea se consideră că a venit timpul ca statele lumii să se implice serios în cercetarea și dezvoltarea tehnologiilor genomice și să înceapă să propună soluții eficiente pentru provocările globale, regionale și locale.
Instrumentele ingineriei genomice fac posibilă manipularea precisă a ADN în celulele vii. Deși ingineria genomică poate fi utilizată pentru a adăuga o transgenă într-o locație specifică dintr-un genom, oferind astfel o cale mai precisă de modificare genetică decât cea a transferului de gene (transgenezei), o aplicație mult mai puternică este cea a modificării informației genetice pentru crearea de caractere noi. În mod tradițional, caracterele noi sunt introduse în soiurile de plante cultivate și animalele de crescătorie prin încrucișare, exploatând variația genetică existentă în fondul de gene al populației sau speciei. Alternativ, se crează variație genetică nouă prin mutageneză. Ingineria genomică permite ca mai întâi să se determine modificările în secvența de ADN care sunt dorite în soiul cultivat sau rasa de animale și apoi să se realizeze aceste modificări în mod precis și rapid. Capacitatea de a controla tipul variației genetice introduse în plantele cultivate promite schimbarea modului în care sunt create soiurile noi.
Valoarea lor de ansamblu (în special, productivitatea și calitatea) și percepția publică vor determina măsura în care plantele și animalele create prin inginerie genomică vor contribui la securitatea alimentară a populației.