Propagation of Ornamental Plants
6(2): 55-60, 2006
PLANT REGENERATION FROM CELL SUSPENSIONS INITIATED FROM LEAF- AND ROOT-DERIVED CALLI OF THE AUSTRALIAN ORNAMENTAL PLANT SCAEVOLA AEMULA R.BR.
Yu-Hua Wang and Prem L. Bhalla*
Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Auatralian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Legume Research, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia *Fax: + 61 3 8344 9651, *E-mail: premlb@unimelb.edu.au
Abstract
Scaevola aemula (family Goodeniaceae, commonly known as fanflower) is a horticulturally important species that is endemic to Australia. Plant regeneration from cell suspensions initiated from leaf- and root-derived calli of S. aemula was studied. Cell suspension cultures were induced in an MS medium supplemented with 0.2 mg l–1 2,4-D, 0.5 mg l–1 BAP, and 30 g l–1 sucrose in the dark. After 6 weeks of suspension maintenance, the cells were transferred onto a solidified callus medium and cultured in the dark. Microcalli that formed after 2 weeks were transferred onto a regeneration medium under controlled light conditions. The subsequent shoot regeneration frequencies were 19.2% and 13.9% for microcalli formed from the cell suspensions initiated from leaf- and root-derived calli, respectively. Somatic embryos were also observed in the cell suspension initiated from leaf-derived calli. Thus, these cell suspension cultures may be used as a regeneration system in breeding programs and developmental studies of Scaevola.
Key words: Callus, cell suspension, plant regeneration, Scaevola, somatic embryogenesis
|