In vitro flowering of bitter melon

Flowers were formed from shoot tips of bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 90 mM sucrose, 0.05 mM Fe²⁺ and 4 µM N⁶-benzyladenine (BA). The addition of 0.05 mM Fe²⁺ to the medium prevented chlorosis of the explant and promoted normal flowering. Increasing the ratio of carbon to nitrogen promoted male flower formation but intensively inhibited vegetative growth. The influence of cytokinin on the morphogenesis of the explant was highly notable. Flowers could be formed after a 15- to 20-day exposure to kinetin (Kin) or BA. Kin and BA had opposite effects with regard to the development of the explant. Kin promoted flower formation, especially female, but inhibited branch bud formation. Conversely, BA promoted branch bud formation and also promoted male flower formation when present at a concentration of 1-2 µM, but completely inhibited flower formation at 4-8 µM. Fluorescein diacetate staining and in vitro germination showed that in vitro pollen were of a fairly high viability.