Plant regeneration through somatic embryogenesis and polyamine levels in cultures of grasses of Thar Desert

Tissue culture methods for plant regeneration have been developed for Lasiurus scindicus, Sorghum halepense and Urochloa panicoides using basal portion of young inflorescence as new and a potential source(s) of explants. Highly embryogenic cultures were initiated on Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) medium supplemented with various concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2-4,D). The regenerative cultures were maintained by subculture on MS medium in the dark at 26+2C. Plants were regenerated via somatic embryogenesis from the competent cell cultures on hormone-free MS basal medium or MS medium with 1mgl kinetin. Somatic seedlings were successfully transplanted to pots and grown to maturity in field. Polyamine levels were analyzed in embryogenic and non-embryogenic cultures. A correlation has been found between the individual polyamine levels and the ratio of putrescine to spermidine in the cultured tissues with plant regeneration ability via somatic embryogenesis.