Micropropagation and cryopreservation of the rare endemic Colchicum figlalii germplasm.

Background: The natural population of Colchicum figlalii (Varol) Parolly and Eren grows in a narrow area of serpentine rock clearings at an altitude of 1900-2100 m in Southwestern Anatolia (Sandras Mountain, Mugla, Turkey). The species is regarded as endangered according to the IUCN Red List Categories.

Objective: To develop an optimum procedure for in vitro propagation and cryopreservation of germplasm of this rare endemic.

Molecular Characterization of Cyclamen Species Collected from Different Parts of Turkey by RAPD and SRAP Markers.

The genus Cyclamen (family Myrsinaceae) contains about 20 species, most of which occur in the Mediterranean region. Turkey has critically important Cyclamen genetic resources. Molecular characterization of plant materials collected from different regions of Turkey in which Cyclamen species grow naturally, namely Adana, Antalya, Aydın, Muğla, İzmir, Denizli, Kahramanmaraş, Osmaniye, Eskişehir, Trabzon, and Rize provinces, was performed using RAPD and SRAP markers.

Somatic Embryogenesis in Crocus sativus L.

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is one of the most important species in Crocus genus because of its effective usage. It is not only a very expensive spice, but it has also a big ornamental plant potential.

Genetic transformation in citrus.

Citrus is one of the world's important fruit crops. Recently, citrus molecular genetics and biotechnology work have been accelerated in the world. Genetic transformation, a biotechnological tool, allows the release of improved cultivars with desirable characteristics in a shorter period of time and therefore may be useful in citrus breeding programs.

Genetic diversity among melon accessions (Cucumis melo) from Turkey based on SSR markers.

Melon (Cucumis melo) is an important vegetable crop in Turkey, where it is grown in many regions; the most widely planted lines are local winter types belonging to the var. inodorous. We examined 81 melon genotypes collected from different provinces of Turkey, compared with 15 reference melon genotypes obtained from INRA/France, to determine genetic diversity among Turkish melons.

Gelling agents and culture vessels affect in vitro multiplication of banana plantlets.

Agar is the most commonly used gelling agent in media for plant tissue culture. Because of the high price of tissue-culture-grade agar, attempts have been made to identify suitable alternatives. The type of culture vessel and lid also affects the gaseous composition inside the vessel as well as light penetration.