Somatic embryogenesis as a tool in genetic transformation

Abstract

Bananas and plantains are the most important staple food crop in the world. The production of banana is hampered by various stresses. Genetic transformation has become an important potential tool in developing improved banana with desired agronomic traits, which is highly difficult to achieve through conventional breeding. To be successful, genetic engineering technique requires reliable, efficient in vitro regeneration protocol through tissue culture. Plant regeneration through somatic embryogenesis has become an important tool due to high proliferation potential, minimal genetic instability, and single-cell origin which in turn reduces the formation of chimera. However, banana is highly recalcitrant toward the development of somatic embryogenesis. Considerable progress has been achieved in the regeneration of banana through somatic embryogenesis, but there are still many factors to overcome. In present review key factors such as age of the explant, genotype, and plant growth regulators affecting the induction and regeneration of plants by embryogenic callus are discussed. This review also provides special focus on methods being applied in plant transformation through somatic embryogenesis, different factors which affect somatic embryogenesis, and various strategies to improve the transformation efficiency using somatic embryogenesis.