Experimental Morphogenesis of the Embryo of Dendrophthoe, Taxillus, and Nuytsia

Abstract

Morphogenetic studies were conducted in vitro on the embryo of the stem parasites, Dendrophthoe jalcata, Taxillus cuneatus, and T vestitus, and a root parasite, Nuytsia floribunda (Loranthaceae) The responses of young and mature embryos of Dendrophthoe were strikingly dissimilar For studying organogenesis, callus from different parts of the embryo was raised and maintained on modified WM containing IBA, KN, and CH When IBA was replaced by IAA, shoot buds developed from the callus The responses of the mature embryos of Dendrophthoe and Taxillus spp were similar; the formation of shoot buds and haustoria could be controlled The response of the mature embryo of Nuytsia was different; the cotyledons callused and later differentiated embryoids, roots, and shoots The potentiality for root and shoot formation was gradually lost on a particular medium, but the capacity for the differentiation of embryoids did not decline