Plant Tissue Cult. 9(1) : 85-88, 1999 (June)

Short Communications

Somatic Embryogenesis in a Cultivar of Tossa Jute¹

Minakshi Sethi², Akhilesh Shrotria Tewari and N. S. Rangaswamy³

Kirorimal College, University of Delhi, delhi-110 007, India

Key words:

Abastract

Jute is seed-propagated; seed set adversely affects its fibre quality. Whereas jute crop (Corchorus olitorius and C. capsularis) can be multiplied through top cuttings, it lacks natural vegetative propagation. Each species has certain exclusive desirable traits (Kundu et al. 1959). Interspecific hybridization using C. capsularis as the female prarent has been unsuccessfull; the reciprocal hybrid reverts to maternal type in F₃ (Hoque et al. 1988, Sarker and Hoque 1994). Three negative attributes have hindered improvement of jute crop. Somaclonal variation and somatic hybridization through tissue culture may therefore prove valuable for jute industry. We report induction of somatic embryogenesis in callus cultures of seedling explants of one cultivar of tossa jute.

Download Full Article