In vitro propagation of Centaurea rupestris L.

A rapid clonal propagation method was developed for Centaurea rupestris L., a Balkan Apennine endemic which contains a flavonoid with strong antiphytoviral, antibacterial and antifungal activity. Shoots from aseptically germinated seeds were used for culture initiation. The highest multiplication rate, 11.88 shoots per explant, was achieved in 4 weeks-culture-period in the third subculture on MS medium supplemented with 1 µM 6-benzylamino-purine and 2.9 µM gibberellic acid. The best rooting of excised shoots was achieved on half-strength MS medium supplemented with 3 µM indole-3-butyric acid. Rooted plantlets were transferred to potting soil and acclimatized to outdoor conditions.