Assessment of somatic embryogenesis potency in Indian soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cultivars.

Majority of the Indian soybean cultivars are recalcitrant to tissue culture regeneration. The present communication reports the development of somatic embryogenesis in a liquid culture medium from immature cotyledons of G. max. Following induction with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) or naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), the number of somatic embryos and percentage of explants that responded were higher with 45.24 µM 2,4-D. The proliferation of somatic embryos for three successive cycles was achieved in 22.62 µM 2,4-D. Histodifferentiation of somatic embryos under NAA (10.74 µM) indicated that better embryo development and maturation was achieved without any growth regulator. The amino acids such as L-glutamine favoured the somatic embryo induction and histodifferentiation at 20 and 30 mM respectively, where as L-asparagine at 10 mM concentration enhanced the somatic embryo proliferation. In addition, somatic embryos that were desiccated (air-drying method) for 5 days showed better germination (40.88%). The Indian soybean cultivars also showed strict genotypic influence and cv. Pusa 16 was emerged as a best responding cultivar for somatic embryo induction with 74.42% of response.

Effect of cadmium on germination, coleoptile and root growth of barley seeds in the presence of gibberellic acid and kinetin.

Effect of cadmium on barley seeds treated with kinetin and gibberellic acid was investigated. As usual, cadmium has inhibited seed germination, and showed important inhibitory effects on roots and coleoptile growth after germination. In general, increase in cadmium concentration caused a greater inhibition of germination, root and coleoptile growth. The adverse effect of cadmium on root and coleoptile growth was more pronounced than that on germination. While testa was pierced by radicle (an indication of germination), no root or coleoptile development was observed above at concentration of 3-9.5 mM CdCl2xH2O. Low concentrations of cadmium have inhibited the root growth more than it did on coleoptile growth. Treatment of seeds with gibberellic acid and kinetin did not show any significant difference on the effect of cadmium in germination. However, inhibition of coleoptile elongation by cadmium has decreased a very much after kinetin application. The same result, although with lower rates when compared to kinetin, has been obtained for GA3 as well. In addition, the inhibitory effect of cadmium on root growth increased even more after kinetin application. The results have been found statistically significant through the least significant different (LSD) test at levels ofp < 0.05 and p < 0.01.

Plant regeneration from single-nodal-stem explants of legume tree Prosopis alba Griseb

Seeds of Prosopis alba were scarified with abrasive paper and placed to germinate on MS (Murashige and Skoog 1962) nutrient medium. After 7 days of culture, the basal part of cotyledons was removed and pieces of 4 mm" from distal parts were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (1962) mineral salts and vitamins (MS) (3 sucrose) supplemented with growth regulators. Callus proliferation took place in the majority of the media tested. A low percentage of calluses with green buds that developed on MS basal medium containing 0.1 mg.L-1 2,4-D alone or supplemented with BAP at 0.1 mg.L-1 was observed. Neither cotyledonary segments in any medium assayed regenerated the whole plants. Bud elongation (near 70) was achieved when single-nodal-stem segments cut from 20 days old seedlings were cultured on MS salts supplemented with 3 mg.L-1 NAA or 3 mg.L-1 IBA combined with 0.05 mg.L-1 KIN after 60 days in culture. Multiple shoots per bud were also observed. Single-nodal-stem segments from five-year-old plants were also cultured on the same media used for seedling explants. Maximal frequency of explants with bud elongation (near 70) was found on MS with 0.1 mg.L-1 NAA plus 1 mg.L-1 BAP after 60 days of culture. Single-nodal-stem explants cut from adult trees (more than 20 years) were also employed, but the number of bud elongation was lesser. For rooting, the elongated shoots were transferred to a semisolid or liquid MS culture medium employing a paper bridge, supplemented with 0.5 mg.L-1 IBA or 0.1 mg.L-1 NAA.

Determination of IAA in brassinolide treated coleoptiles of wheat by a modified indirect ELISA with polyclonal antibodies.

An indirect enzyme immunoassay for detection of as little as 10-50 pmole IAA is described for the first time. The assay is based on the development of highly specific polyclonal antibodies against the carboxyl site of IAA. The binding specificity is nearly as high as the radioimmunoassay and the titre of the specific antibody was also remarkably high (1:40,000 of the primary antibody). Such an easy, rapid, specific and highly sensitive assay would be extremely useful in gaining more information on the mode of action of phytohormones, and their effects on physiological processes.