In vitro Plant Regeneration in Solanum commersonii

Abstract

Summary The influence of growth regulators and basal media on plant regeneration from leaf and stem explants of Solanum commersonii Dun. PI 458317 was examined. Nearly 100 % of leaf and stem explants produced shoots, with an average of 12 shoots per explant, when cultured on a modified Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) supplemented with 1.0 or 2.0 mg/L IAA and 5 mg/L zeatin. IAA and zeatin concentrations higher than 2.0 and 5.0 mg/L, respectively, promoted regeneration, but were not effective in increasing the number of shoots per explant. Among four cytokinins tested, only 2iP was found to be as effective as zeatin with respect to percent regeneration, but the number of shoots per explant was lower. 2,4-D was ineffective in inducing regeneration. NAA and IBA induced shoot regeneration, but to a lesser extent than IAA. MS medium supplemented with 2 mg/L IAA and 5 mg/L 2iP was compared to five other media formulations with the same growth regulator combination. MS, Gamborg's B 5 medium, and Eriksson's media were superior to other media tested in inducing regeneration (nearly 100 %). Shoots readily rooted when cultured on half-strength MS medium that lacked growth regulators, and rooted plantlets grew vigorously in soil.