Morphological Characters and Yields of Regenerated Plants from Callus Cultured for Long Period in Taro

Characters of plants regenerated from calli cultured for long period in taro (Colocasia esculenta Schott cv. Eguimo) were studied. Calli were obtained by culturing etiolated stem segments on Murashige and Skoog's (MS) medium supplemented with 30 g･liter-1 sucrose, 2 me･liter-1 NAA and 2 me･liter-1 2 ip. They were proliferated by subculturing on the same fresh medium for 10 or 15 months from initial planting. Plants regenerated after transferring them to hormone-free MS mediium. The yield of corms from plants regenerated from callus was lower than those of original 'Eguimo' (control). Leaf blade of plants regenerated from callus for 15 months (C-15) was more round than that of control plants. Corm shape of C-15 plants was more round than that of control plants.