Somatic embryogenesis from zygotic embryos of Schisandra chinensis

Abstract

We describe the multi-step regeneration system of medicinal plant Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. The seeds were pre-treated with 0.005 µM thidiazuron. Subsequently the zygotic embryos of the early heart stage were cultured on medium with 50 µM of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and after three weeks the embryogenic calli were transferred to a medium with 10 µM of 2,4-D and 4 µM of 6-benzyladenine and were sub-cultured at the 4-week intervals. Abscisic acid (30 µM) and polyethyleneglycol (3 %) significantly influenced the synchronization of development of the somatic embryos (SEs) to the globular stage. The following culture on a medium without growth regulators resulted in full developed cotyledonary stage SEs. Indole-3-butyric acid (0.05 µM) contributed to their rapid conversion to plantlets.

High-frequency somatic embryogenesis from germinated zygotic embryos of Schisandra chinensis and evaluation of the effects of medium strength, sucrose, GA3, and BA on somatic embryo development

“…1d). Somatic embryogenesis from immature zygotic embryos of S. chinensis has been documented by Smiskova et al (2005) and Kim et al (2005). In our experiment, a better somatic embryogenesis system was established, with a higher embryonic callus induction rate (56.7%) than that reported by these other two groups.…”

“…This protocol will be applicable to the mass production of regenerated plants. In contrast, Smiskova et al (2005) induced Table 6 Effects of GA 3 concentration on SE induction, germination, and plantlet conversion from 9 mg embryogenic callus after 12 weeks of culture on 1/3-strength MS medium with 1% sucrose GA 3 concentration (mg l -1 ) S. chinensis SEs by transferring embryogenic calluses to medium with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and abscisic acid (ABA). After globular embryos formed, they were dispersed on filter paper spread on top of activated carbon, and then transferred to medium without PGRs for germination.…”

“…Thus, frequent replacement of old components with new medium was required from the induction of SEs to plant regeneration. The process of culturing was complex, and the number of SEs was small, with 100 mg of embryogenic callus producing less than 10 SEs (Smiskova et al 2005). Kim et al (2005) produced about 62 SEs from 1.0 g embryogenic callus at best.…”

“…Somatic embryogenesis is considered to be a cost-efficient method for producing uniform plants, especially for those species that are difficult to propagate by conventional cutting techniques (Stasolla and Yeung 2003). Micropropagation of S. chinensis by somatic embryogenesis from immature zygotic embryos has been reported (Kim et al 2005;Smiskova et al 2005). However, the overall culture procedure is too complex, and multiplication efficiency is still low.…”

“…However, the overall culture procedure is too complex, and multiplication efficiency is still low. Moreover, immature and undifferentiated tissues frequently form abnormal structures in somatic embryos (SEs) or plantlets in some plant species, including S. chinensis (Choi et al 1998;Kim et al 2005;Smiskova et al 2005).…”