ADAPTIVE CAPACITY OF SOME LAVENDER AND LAVANDIN CULTIVARSIN VITRO AND IN SITU

Lavandula angustifolia Mill. and (LavandulaxintermediaEmericexLoisel) arepromising fragrant plants with medicinal, aromatic and ornamental properties.Since the collection plantations of these crops are very damaged with viralpathogens and there is lack of seed propagation in valuable cultivars 'Belyanka','Record' (lavender) and 'Rabat', 'Snezhnyi Bars' (lavandin), were introduced invitro. Chemotherapy was used for cleaning up. Regenerants were cultured (4-5months) on MS medium with 0. 3 mg L- Kinetin, 0. 025 mg L- NAA and 0. 25 mgL- GA3 at 25±1°C under 16-h photoperiod. Intact plants were studied during thegrowing season. In order to reveal plants` biotechnological and genetic capacitysome biochemical stress indicators, indexes of photosynthetic activity and waterregime were identified. Under the open field cultivation, tested plants were rich inascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, and redox enzymes (catalase, polyphenoloxidase, superoxide dismutase) were active. Leaf tissue hydration was 56-62%,with greater part of bound water. Photosynthetic activity was reduced only in thesamples with visible damages with viral pathogens. In plants cultured in vitro,amount of ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds were lower, so as enzymaticactivity and proline concentration were higher than in intact plants. The rate ofhydration was high (70-77%), with the same trend of water fractional composition.Photosynthetic activity and vitality index indicated no photoinhibition. It wasfound out the lavandin cultivars had better capacity for a wide use under variousculture conditions.