JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

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In vitro regeneration of four cultivars of carnation namely ‘Nelson’, ‘Impulse’, ‘Sagres’ and ‘Spitit’ through somatic embryogenesis was studied. MS culture medium was supplemented with 30 gl^-1 sucrose, 2 mgl^-1 2,4-D and 0.2 mgl^-1 BA and used for embryogenic callus formation. Somatic embryos were formed when embryogenic callus was transferred to MS medium without growth regulators containing 30 g/l^-1 sucrose alone or supplemented with different concentrations of mannitol (15, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 gl^-1). No somatic embryo was formed on culture media containing mannitol without sucrose. Number of somatic embryos produced from embryogenic calli significantly increased by adding mannitol to the culture media. Normal embryos formed on culture media containing high concentrations of mannitol (60, 90, 120 and 150 gl^-1) developed normally. About 95% of somatic embryos transferred to the1/2 MS culture medium containing 30 gl^-1 sucrose, germinated into plantlets. Plantlets also continued their growth under greenhouse conditions.

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In vitro regeneration of two cultivars of carnation, namely, ‘Nelson’ and ‘Impulse’ was studied through direct somatic embryogenesis. Somatic embryos were formed directly on petal explants cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing different concentrations (0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6 mg 1^-1) of picloram. Maximum embryogenesis was obtained with 1 and 2 mg/l picloram. Globular shaped embryos were developed into cotyledonary-shaped embryos when they were transferred to the growth regulator-free media containing different concentrations (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 %) of sucrose. Increasing sucrose concentrations in the culture media enhanced somatic embryos development. Cotyledonary somatic embryos developed plantlets when they were transferred to the half-strength MS culture medium containing 3% sucrose. Plantlets also continued to grow under greenhouse conditions.