Bud break and multiple shoot formation from tissues of mature trees of Pinus caribaea and Pinus kesiya

Proliferation of terminal and axillary buds of 20 yr-old Pinus caribaea and P. kesiya trees was obtained on half strength DCR medium supplemented with$0.5 mg \cdot liter^{-1}$6-benzylaminopurine (BA). These sprouts further elongated with the formation of multiple shoots with the ratio of 1:3, on transfer to medium in which the$0.25 mg \cdot liter^{-1} BA$of the initiation medium was replaced by$0.25 mg \cdot liter^{-1}$kinetin. Rooting was obtained on the same medium. Plantlets thus formed were transferred to perlite:peat:vermiculite mixture (1:1:1) in polybags (10 x 5 cm) under$80 \pm 5\%$humidity in a polyhouse. Plantlets of P. caribaea and P. kesiya were established with 72.5 and 83.3% survival, respectively.