Somatic embryogenesis in Chenopodium rubrum and Chenopodium murale in vitro

Abstract

In order to establish an efficient system for in vitro plant regeneration of a short day plant Chenopodium rubrum L. and a long day plant Chenopodium murale L., optimum culture conditions for somatic embryogenesis were investigated. The effects of different growth regulators, their combination and their concentrations on somatic embryos induction in different explant types (root, hypocotyl, cotyledon and leaf) were tested. Somatic embryogenesis was induced in both plants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with sucrose (3%), agar (0.7%) and 1-10 mu M 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) as the sole growth regulator. The largest embryogenic capacity was found in root explants of Chenopodium rubrum on 1 mu M 2,4-D and in basal parts of cotyledons in C. murale plants on 10 mu M 2,4-D.