In Vitro Somatic Embryogenesis in Some Oil Yielding Tropical Tree Species

Abstract

Somatic embryogenesis was achieved in two oil yielding tropical tree species i.e. Simarouba glauca & Azadirachta indica using immature zygotic embryos as explants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 0.5 – 1.5 mg/l benzylaminopurine (BA) and 2.0 - 3.0 mg/l NAA (1-napthaleneacetic acid) or 2, 4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) and 3% sucrose. MS medium containing 1.0 mg/l BA and 2.0 mg/l NAA was noted to be the most effective in inducing friable embryogenic callus (FEC) in Simarouba glauca; the number of somatic embryos per culture varied in MS medium supplemented with 1.0 – 1.5 mg/l BA and 1.0 mg/l NAA. In Azadirachta indica, somatic embryos developed on MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l BA and 1.5 – 2.0 mg/l 2,4-D which were in various shapes and sizes after the first subculture on MS medium supplemented with 0.25 mg/l abscisic acid. The somatic embryos which developed shoots were isolated and rooted in 1/2 strength MS medium supplemented with 0.25 mg/l abscisic acid and 2% sucrose. About 25% of embryos germinated within 20 days of culture in case of Simarouba glauca and 62% in Azadirachta indica. The somatic embryo-derived plantlets were transferred to the field after being hardened in the climate controlled hardening chamber.