Effect of radiation on callus regeneration and oil content of patchouli

English. Patchouly is one of important export commodities of Indonesia. The problem faced in patchouly farming are the low quality and productivity of soil. Genetic variability of patchouly is relatively low as the crop cannot produced any flower/seed. The genetic variabiliy could be increased by through somaclonal variation. Callus of 8 month-old were treated by gamma radioisotope of 0, 0.5, 1 or 1.5 krad. The treated callus were then regenerated in a medium containing BA at a concentration of 0, 0.1 or 0.5 mg/l. After shoots were formed each treatment was sub cultured in rooting media containing IAA (0.1, 0.3 or 0.5 mg/l). The experiment was designed as a completely randomized arranged factorially. Result showed that the best growth of shoots was found in the media containing BA 0.1 mg/l. The leaved from the plantlets treated with 1 krad gamma radiation contained 14.69 percent patchouly oil. The combination of somaclonal variation and gamma radiation increased the genetic variation in terms of oil content of patchouly

unknown. Nilam (Pogostemon cablin) merupakan salah satu komoditas ekspor yang penting bagi Indonesia. Permasalahan yang dihadapi antara lain produktivitas dan mutu minyak yang masih rendah. Variabilitas genetik tanaman masih sangat rendah karena tanaman nilam tidak berbunga. Untuk meningkatkan keragaman genetik dilakukan percobaan keragaman somaklonal. Perlakuan yang diberikan ada 2 faktor yaitu radiasi sinar gamma (0, 0.5, 1.0 dan 1.5 krad) dan media regenerasi BA (0, 0,1 dan 0.5 mg/l). Radiasi dilakukan pada kalus umur 8 bulan. Setelah terbentuk tunas dari masing-masing dosis radiasi di sub kultur ke media perakaran IAA (0.1, 0.3 dan 0,5 mg/l). Rancangan percobaan disusun secara faktorial dengan rancangan lingkungan acak lengkap. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa BA 0.1 mg/l baik digunakan untuk memacu pertunasan. Kadar minyak paling tinggi yaitu 14.69 persen berasal dari daun hasil regenerasi kalus yang telah diradiasi sebesar 1.0 krad. Kombinasi antara teknik somaklonal (kalus) dengan radiasi sinar gamma dapat meningkatkan keragaman genetik hubungan dengan kadar minyak