SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS OF MUSSAENDA `QUEEN SIRIKIT'

Abstract

Disinfected midrib sections of Mussaenda `Queen Sirikit' ≈3 to 4 mm in size were cultured on a basal medium of Murashige and Skoog salts and vitamins, 87.7 mm sucrose, and 5 g Sigma agar/liter supplemented with several concentrations of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) (0, 5.0, 10.0, 20.0 μm) and 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) (0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0, 25.0, 50.0 μm). Cultures were subculture onto the same treatment after 5 weeks and observed weekly for 15 weeks for the presence of somatic embryos. As somatic embryos were produced, they were subculture onto basal medium supplemented with 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, or 25.0 μm BAP. Callus was first observed at 2 weeks in cultures grown on basal medium supplemented with 5.0–20.0 μm IAA and 0–50.0 μm BAP. Somatic embryos were observed at 8 weeks on basal medium supplemented with 5.0–10.0 μm IAA and 2.5–5.0 μm BAP. Callus cultured on 0–10 μm IAA and 5.0–10.0 μm BAP produced the greatest number of somatic embryos by 15 weeks. Somatic embryos subculture to basal medium supplemented with 25.0 μm BAP proliferated shoots, while eliminating BAP from the medium resulted in root and callus production. Shoots and entire plants were removed from in vitro conditions and successful] y acclimated to greenhouse conditions. Somatic embryo-derived plants flowered sporadically 25 to 35 weeks after removal from in vitro conditions. Variations in sepal number and leaf number per node were observed at 1% to 5%.