In Vitro Flowering of Plantlets Regenerated from Zygotic Embryo-derived Somatic Embryos of Ginseng

Abstract

Mature zygotic embryos dissected from ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) seeds were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing various concentrations of 2,4-D and kinetin. Somatic embryos were induced directly from cotyledonary tissue and from intervening callus. The frequency of somatic embryo induction was up to 55% of zygotic embryo explants. Upon transfer onto half-strength MS medium supplemented with 1 mg BA/liter and 1 mg GA 3 /liter, most somatic embryos developed into plantlets. More than 50% of the plantlets flowered after 4 weeks of culture, and some developed immature fruits in vitro. These results indicate that adulthood of ginseng root explants is not a prerequisite for flowering of plantlets regenerated through somatic embryogenesis. Chemical names used: (2,4 -dichlorophenoxy) acetic acid (2,4-D); N-(2-furanylmethyl) -1H-purin-6-amine(kinetin); N-(phenylmethyl) -1H-purin-6-amine (BA); gibberellic acid (GA 3 ).