Effects of Exogenous Amino Acids on in Androgenesis of Datura

Abstract

Summary A study was carried out on the effects of 17 L-amino acids incorporated into an optimal medium, with and without inorganic nitrogen, on the androgenesis of cultured anthers of Datura metel. L. In the presence of inorganic nitrogen, certain amino acids such as glutamine, glutamic acid, proline and γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) and to a much lesser degree aspartic acid, increase considerably the percentage of embryogenic anthers and microspores. The other amino acids tested were either without any apparent action (serine, agrinine and cystine) or inhibited androgenesis partially or fully (histidine, threonine, glycine, valine, leucine, lysine, alanine, tyrosine and phenylalanine). In the absence of inorganic nitrogen (nitrate and ammonium ions) androgenic embyros were formed only in the presence of glutamine, GABA or glutamic acid but the percentages were very low; and most of those embryos showed anomalies or teratologic structures. Our study thus demonstrated the absolute need for an inorganic nitrogen source in addition to those amino acids whose effect was positive, on the optimal development of microspore-derived embryogenesis in vitro (androgenesis).