Composition of embryogenic suspension cultures of Ipomoea batatas Poir. and production of individualized embryos

Embryogenic suspension cultures of Ipomoea batatas Poir. contain heterogeneous populations of discrete cellular units. In order to optimize embryo production, a study was conducted to identify the embryogenic fraction of such cultures. Suspension cultures were fractionated with sieves of 1000, 710, 500, 355, 250, 180, 125, 90 and 63m mesh openings and the composition of each fraction was determined. Cellular units larger than 355 m were primarily calli and made up 75% of the total mass of cultures in the stationary phase of growth. These calli were composed of embryogenic and non-embryogenic subunits, and 98% of the embryogenic subunits measured 355–1000 m. Calli and embryogenic calli subunits produced clusters of embryos at various stages of development upon transfer to liquid or solidified media without 2,4-D. The 125–355 m fraction of suspension cultures was composed of cell aggregates of which 20% were embryogenic. The embryogenic cell aggregates produced single globular embryos upon transfer to liquid media containing 0 or 1 M 2,4-D. The 63–125 m fraction of suspension cultures contained only 2% of embryogenic cell aggregates. It can be inferred from our results that the embryogenic fraction of cultures was essentially represented in calli, and that proliferation of the embryogenic fraction occurred through the separation of embryogenic cell aggregates from larger calli when cultures approached their stationary growth phase.Abbreviations and definitions cellular units single cells, cell aggregates, and calli - cell aggregates discrete associations of cells - calli association of cell aggregates - embryogenic cell aggregates yellow aggregates of cytoplasmic cells which have the potential to produce embryogenic calli or embryos [3] - non-embryogenic cell aggregates white aggregates of vacuolated cells [3] - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - IAA indoleacetic acid