Uniformity of Plants Regenerated by Direct Somatic Embryogenesis from Zygotic Embryos of Trifolium repens

Abstract

A total of 55 regenerants from direct somatic embryogenesis on three zygotic embryos of Trifolium repens have been examined for uniformity with respect to morphological markers, chromosome number, breeding behaviour and banding patterns produced by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of total leaf proteins and isoelectric focussing of leaf peroxidase, esterase and leucine aminopeptidase isozymes. Differences were observed between clones, but no differences were detected among primary and secondary regenerants from the same zygotic embryo. The data support the concept that direct somatic embryogenesis on immature zygotic embryos is a conservative, clonal regeneration process.