Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration from stem explants of Moricandia arvensis.

Abstract

Efficient and reproducible plant regeneration has been established from stem internode explants of Moricandia arvensis, a crucifer of special interest due to its C3-C4 intermediate photosynthetic activity. Somatic embryogenesis was induced in one-third of explants cultured on Murashige and Skoog based medium containing 9 mM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. High frequencies of plant regeneration (>90%) resulted when somatic embryos were germinated on medium lacking growth regulators. Regenerated plants were diploid, fertile and morphologically similar to seed-derived plants of M. arvensis. This is the first report of somatic embryogenesis in M. arvensis. This plant regeneration system should facilitate gene identification and localisation studies of C3-C4 physiology by insertional mutagenesis, a prerequisite for the isolation and transfer of genes involved in C3-C4 metabolism from Moricandia to cultivated brassicas.