The traditional methods of propagation of hazelnuts are time-consuming and not satisfactory at the commercial level. Therefore, the goal of current investigation was to optimize micropropagation of three commercial cultivars of hazelnut including ‘Gercheh’, ‘Gerdooyi’ and ‘Pashmineh’. In the present experiment, the effects of four levels of Benzylaminopurine (BAP; 0.50, 1.00, 2.00 and 4.00mgL–1) with kinetin (0.25mgL–1) and without kinetin on the shoot induction and proliferation were investigated. In addition, the effects of six treatments (NRM3 [control], NRM3/2, 0.50mgL–1 IBA + 0.50mgL–1 NAA, 0.50mgL–1 IBA, 1.00mgL–1 IBA + 1.00mgL–1 NAA, and 0.50mgL–1 NAA) on rooting of the studied cultivars were studied. Results showed that the best treatment for shoot proliferation for ‘Gercheh’ was 0.25mgL–1 kinetin + 0.50mgL–1 BAP as well as the best treatment for rooting of this cultivar was 1.00mgL–1 IBA + 1.00mgL–1 NAA. In ‘Gerdooyi’, the optimum treatment for shoot proliferation was 0.25mgL–1 kinetin + 4.00mgL–1 BAP, while the best treatment for its rooting was 0.50mgL–1 IBA + 0.50mgL–1 NAA. In ‘Pashmineh’, the best treatment for shoot proliferation was 0.00mgL–1 kinetin + 0.50mgL–1 BAP. In addition, the best treatment for rooting of this cultivar was NRM3/2. The results presented herein could be used for micropropagation of hazelnut.
