Regeneration of plants via somatic embryogenesis from leafbase and leaf tip segments of Echinochloa colona

Plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis was achieved in leafbase and leaf tip explants derived from 10-day-old in vitro-grown seedlings of Echinochloa colona. Somatic embryogenesis was induced in the callus on Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium supplemented with 4.44 mu M 6-benzyladenine, 4.64 mu M kinetin and 8.05 mu M 1-naphthaleneacetic acid after 4 weeks of culture incubated for 14 days in continuous dark and subsequently under a 14-h photoperiod. The incidence of somatic embryogenesis was greater in leafbase- than in leaf tip-derived calluses. Histological observations revealed various stages of development of somatic embryogenesis. The embryos matured and germinated on fresh medium lacking growth regulators. The somatic embryo-derived plantlets were established in soil.