Dark Preconditioning, CPPU, and Thidiazuron Promote Shoot Organogenesis on Seedling Node Explants of Common and Faba Beans

Abstract

Dry seeds from two lines of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and one cultivar of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) were germinated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing B vitamins, 30 g sucrose/liter, and either 2.5, 5.0, or 7.5 μm benzyladenine (BA). Axenic seed cultures were grown at 22 to 24C in darkness and under continuous light from cool-white fluorescent tubes (40 μmol·m-2·s-1). Explant tissues were prepared from cotyledonary nodes (CN) and primary nodes (PN) of 14-day-old seedlings. Explants were cultured on corresponding seedling growth medium and maintained under continuous cool-white light (40 μmol·m-2·s-1). The percentages of CN and PN (in one line of common bean) explants that regenerated shoots and the number of shoots per explant (in all germplasm) were highest when nodal tissues were prepared from seedlings germinated in darkness. These responses were optimal on medium containing 5 μm BA during seedling growth and subsequent culture of explants. The number of shoots per explant was two to five times higher on explants cultured on medium with 0.25 to 1.0 μm forchlorfenuron (CPPU) or thidiazuron (TDZ) than on medium with 5 μm BA. Higher (2.5 and 5 μm) CPPU and TDZ concentrations inhibited shoot elongation and stimulated callus production. Histological analyses indicated that adventitious meristems formed 6 to 8 days after explant culture. Progenies from regenerated plants appeared similar to plants raised from the original seed stocks. Chemical names used: N- (phenylmethyl) -1 H- purin-6-amine (benzyladenine, BA); N- (2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N'- phenylurea (forchlorfenuron, CPPU); N- phenyl -N' -1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-ylurea (thidiazuron, TDZ).