Plant Regeneration and Genetic Variability from Tissue Cultures of Sunflower (<i>Helianthus annuus</i> L.)

Abstract

Abstract Adventitious buds were induced from in vitro culture of sunflower ( Helianthus annuus L.) cotyledons. Four inbred lines (G1, G2, G3 and HA89), an open pollinated variety (‘Argentario’) and two hybrids with specific genetic markers were used. Cotyledons were cultured in vitro on MS medium (M urashlge and S koog 1962) containing various concentrations of kinetin and indole 3‐acetic acid (IAA). The quantitative interactions between auxin and cytokinin, the age of the cotyledons and the 2,3,5‐triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA) treatments have been found to influence shoot regeneration. The plantlets, after rooting, were successfully established on soil. Qualitative variation was noted in self‐pollinated progeny of plants regenerated from culture of two inbreds. Chimerism in regenerated plants was indicated by sectoring of the genetic markers. Some culture‐induced variant phenotypes were similar to known spontaneous mutation in sunflower but others have been not yet described. Preliminary data indicate that most of them may have single‐gene recessive inheritance.