High frequency somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration in root explant cultures of carnation

Abstract

Root explants excised from carnation plants maintained in vitro formed off-white, friable calluses after three weeks of culture on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 1 mg l.1 thidiazuron (TDZ) and 1 mg l.1 a-naphthalaneacetic acid (NAA). These calluses were subsequently transferred to MS basal medium where, after an additional four weeks of culture, approximately 50% of the calluses formed somatic embryos. However, calluses formed on root explants that had been cultured on MS medium supplemented with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid did not produce somatic embryos upon transfer to MS basal medium. Somatic embryos developed into plantlets and subsequently were grown to maturity. These results indicate that root explants have a high competence for somatic embryogenesis in carnation.