Plant Tissue Cult. 8(1) : 19-25, 1998 (June)

Direct Somatic Embryogenesis and in vitro Plant Regeneration in Hippeastrum hybridum

A. Mujib, S. Bandhyopadhyay, B. K. Jana and P. D. Ghosh

Birla Laboratory, The Agri-Horticultural Society of India, 1, Alipore Road, Calcutta 700027, India

Key words: Somatic embryogenesis, Plant regeneration, Hippeastrum hybridum

Abastract

In vitro formation of direct somatic embryos on the excised scale-stem (bulb-scale) section obtained from bulbs of Royal Dutch Amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybridum) is recorded. The first visible sign of embryo development was usually observed in the form of small globular outgrowths that appeared as semitransparent structures on the outer walls of the explant that gradually enlarged and turned opaque. Induction of embryos was noted both in Murashige in 5.32 ?M NAA and 2.22 ?M BAP containing media. This method may be useful for the propagation of true-to-type plants since the absence of an intervening callus phase reduces the chance of somaclonal variation. In addition, it may provide a model system for the study of basic developmental aspects of non-zygotic embryo development.

Download Full Article