INDUCTION OF SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS  FROM  THE  ROOT CULTURES OF SAFFLOWER (CARTHAMUS TINCTORIUS  L.) VAR.  HUS- 305

 Nidhi SDrivastava, Megha Chaturvedi, Tejovathi Gudipati, Rekha Bhaduaria, R.R.Das

Abstract

     Healthy seeds of the variety HUS- 305 of Carthamus tinctorius L. were germinated under aseptic conditions on filter paper wicks. The roots of 4, 5, 6 and 7 day old seedlings were cut into 0.5- 1.0 cm. long pieces and then inoculated on Murashiage and Skoog’s  (MS) medium with 1- 10 ppm 2, 4, 5- trichlorophenoxy propionic acid (2,4,5-Cl₃ POP). Within 15-20 days, small yellow colored somatic embryos appeared on the surface of the root explants with minimal or no callus. Induction of somatic embryos was noticed using all concentrations of 2,4,5-Cl₃ POP supplemented media and also from explants of all age groups. However, somatic embryos were superior from the 5^th day on 4 ppm 2,4,5-Cl₃POP supplemented medium.

Key words: root cultures, somatic embryogenesis