Plant Tissue Cult. 10(2) : 157-166, 2000 (December)

Explant and Cultivar Difference of Somatic Embryogenesisin Garlic (Allium sativum L.)

M. S. Haque¹, T. Wada and K. Hattori

Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya-464 8601, Japan

Key words: Allium sativum, Somatic embryogenesis

Abastract

Embryogenic calli were induced from root-tip-, basal plate-and leaf disc explants of garlic (Allium sativum L.) cultured on MS medium supplemented with various concentrations of 2,4-D. For basal plate-and leaf disc explants, 1 to 5 ?M 2,4-D was better, while for root tip explants, 0.5 to 1.0 ?M 2,4-D was most effective. Somatic embryos developed extensively on the surface of the embryogenic callus. The calli containing somatic embryos were transferred to MS medium supplemented with 5 ?M Kn for regeneration of plantlets. Somatic embryos derived from leaf-and root tip explants germinated. No plantlets were obtained from basal plate. Out of eight there was 100% callus formation from the root tips of six genotypes. Only in two, calli developed into plantlets. Histological studies revealed that regeneration occurred via somatic embryogenesis as well as through shoot bud formation. The regeneration protocol from root tips reported here may prove useful for large-scale production of garlic plants.

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