Direct shoot regeneration from epicotyl explants of grasspea (Lathyrus sativus)

Abstract

A reproducible procedure is described for adventitious shoot organogenesis in epicotyl segments resulting in prolific plant regeneration of a grain legume grasspea (Lathyrus sativus L.). Among seedling explant types examined, epicotyl segments were most responsive. The highest percentage of direct shoot regeneration was elicited on Murashige–Skoog (MS) medium augmented with 4.0 mg L–1 6-benzyladenine (BA) + 2.0 mg L–1 α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Compared with four other genotypes examined, IC-120487 showed the highest shoot regeneration frequency (approximately 80%) with maximum shoot numbers (averaging eight shoots per explant) and longest average shoot length (approximately 4 cm). Rhizogenesis was induced in ~78% of the regenerated shoots in half-strength MS medium containing 0.5 mg L–1 indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Plantlets were acclimated in vermi-compost and 75% of those transferred to soil survived and set viable seeds.