Plant Tissue Cult. 2(2) : 103-108

In Vitro Regeneration and Somaclonal Variation for Salt Tolerance in Pearl Millet (Pennisetum americanum L.)

Y.P.S Bajaj¹ and Rakesh K. Gupta²

Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, India

Key words: Regeneration, Somaclonal variation, Salt tolerance, Pearl millet

Abastract

Callus cultures raised from young unopened inflorescences of Indian cultivars of pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum L.) were induced to undergo embryogensis/organogenesis to from complete plants. The segments of the inflorescences and the callus raised on various concentrations of sodium chloride (0.1-2%) medium exhibited somaconal variation for salt tolerance. The initial growth rate at 0 and 0.1% salt was comparable, however a depression on growth was observed at 0.2 to o.5%. Increase of salt beyond 0.3% caused browning and there was drastic inhibition of growth at 0.5%, and death at 3%. Salt tolerant cell lines isolated on a medium containing 0.2% salt regenerated plants, but at 0.5% only rhizogenesis and embryogenesis were observed. The implications of the somaclonal variation for salt tolerance in pearl millet improvement are pointed out.

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