LIGHT AND HORMONAL CONTROL OF ROOT FORMATION IN ZEA MAYS CALLUS CULTURES

Callus cultures of Zea mays were used to study the interaction of light with exogenous cytokinin/auxin levels in the initiation, growth and development of roots. Three auxins, indoleacetic acid (IAA), naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4 D) were remarkably different in their effects on callus growth and root initiation. NAA at concentrations of 5 and 25 μM produced the highest combined yields of callus and roots under low light conditions. No significant morphological effects on roots were observed with the three auxins tested nor did low and intermediate light intensities alter root development.
At intermediate light levels the addition of the cytokinin, zeatin, was also able to influence the differentiation of the callus tissue. Increasing the cytokinin/auxin ratio from low to high shifted the development from callus growth to abundant root formation. High light caused the formation of short, thick roots. This effect could be counteracted in part by zeatin which promoted elongation. These observations suggest that both, the cytokinin/auxin ratio and light play an important role in the development of monocotyledonous roots.     

SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS AND ORGANOGENESIS FROM CALLUS CULTURES OF SOLANUM CAROLINENSE

Culture of stem segments of Solanum carolinense L. on medium supplemented with 10 mg/1 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 1 mg/1 kinetin, induced callus formation. When subcultured on medium lacking 2,4-D but containing a cytokinin, the callus regenerated. The mode of regeneration depended on the type and concentration of cytokinin employed; high concentrations of benzyladenine and all concentrations of kinetin promoted organogenesis, while low concentrations of benzyladenine induced somatic embryogenesis in addition to organogenesis. With age and continued subculture on 2,4-D containing medium, callus progressively lost its ability to regenerate when the auxin was replaced by cytokinin. In conjunction with previous studies on regeneration from anther cultures of S. carolinense, it appears that in both cases, 2,4-D is required for callus initiation and proliferation but must be exchanged for a cytokinin before differentiation will occur. However, since it was not possible to induce embryogenesis in pollen-derived callus, developmental potential may be influenced by the ploidy level of responding cells in culture.     

TAXONOMY OF ZEA (GRAMINEAE). II. SUBSPECIFIC CATEGORIES IN THE ZEA MAYS COMPLEX AND A GENERIC SYNOPSIS

A compromise classification of the genus Zea, reflecting both phylogeny and practical needs, recognizes six taxa, as follows: Section Luxuriantes : Zea perennis. Zea diploperennis, Zea luxurians. Section Zea : Zea mays ssp. mexicana (Neo-volcanic Plateau), Zea mays ssp. parviglumis Iltis & Doebley ssp. n. var. parviglumis (Rio Balsas drainage, Pacific slope from Guerrero to Jalisco), Zea mexicana ssp. parviglumis var. huehuetenangensis Iltis & Doebley var. n. (Pacific slope, western Guatemala, Prov. Huehuetenango), Zea mays ssp. mays. The new subspecies is distinguished by smaller spikelets and rachis joints, the varieties by different habitats, blooming dates and their genetic behavior in relation to cultivated Zea mays. Zea mays ssp. mexicana is the ancestor of corn.     

PROLIFERATION AND PLANT REGENERATION FROM THE NODAL REGION OF ZEA MAYS L. (MAIZE,GRAMINEAE) EMBRYOS

Immature embryos of Zea mays L. (maize), cultured on Murashige and Skoog's medium containing 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D, 0.25–1.0 mg/l) and sucrose (3, 6 and 12%), produced a narrow ridge of tissue in the nodal region of the embryo axis, opposite the scutellum. Only those embryos which were placed with the scutellum in contact with medium showed such a response. The ridge of tissue further proliferated and formed a compact and opaque callus that appeared similar to the scutellar callus. Morphogenesis took place on media containing low concentrations of both 2,4-D and sucrose. Plant regeneration was achieved and is interpreted to take place by the precocious germination of somatic embryos. It is suggested that the ridge of tissue formed at the node may represent an evolutionarily extinct epiblast of the maize embryo and may be cotyledonary in nature.     

莴苣(LactucasatuvaL.cv.Crispy)的愈伤组织诱导及其体细胞胚胎发生的研究(简报)

STUDIESONCALLUSINDUCTIONANDSOMATICEMBRYOGENESISOFLACTUCSATIVAL.CV.CRISPYHuangXuelinLuJingLiXiaojuXuHuasong(DepartmentofBiology,SchoolofLifeSciences,ZhongshanUniversity,Guangzhou510275)莴苣是一种颇受欢迎的蔬菜,在南方生产实践上结球莴苣的留种播种期与蔬用播种期不一致,留种播种期在7月下旬至8月上旬,过早过迟均不易采收到种子,此时的气温高、不结球、小株开花,无从选择理想的种株。蔬用播种期在10月到11月,于春节前后上市,此时虽然植株能正常生长,其优良经济性状也一目了然,…     

SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS AND PLANT REGENERATION IN TISSUE CULTURES OF PANICUM MAXIMUM JACQ.

Callus tissue cultures were initiated from immature embryos, mature embryos and young inflorescences of Guinea grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.) on Murashige and Skoog's (MS) medium supplemented with 2.5–10 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Calluses were transferred onto the same nutrient medium with 0.2 mg/l 2,4-D, or without 2,4-D. In callus cultures derived from immature embryos and young inflorescence segments, plantlets were produced via somatic embryogenesis after 3–5 wk. Young plants were successfully transplanted to pots and grown in the greenhouse. Plant development in callus obtained from mature embryos took place through the organization of shoot meristems. Regenerated plants were shown to have the normal tetraploid chromosome number of 2n = 4x = 32.     

陆地棉胚性愈伤组织的变异及高频胚胎发生

陆地棉（Ｇｏｓｓｙｐｉｕｍ ｈｉｒｓｕｔｕｍ Ｌ．）胚性愈伤组织在两年多的继代培养过程中,由淡绿或灰色疏松状转变成灰黄色致密团块状,胚胎发生能力经历了一个由低到高再到低的过程。培养两年半后,从中分离出３种不同的愈伤组织系。第一种可产生大量的胚状体;第二种可产生少量胚状体;而第三种失去了胚胎发生能力。第一种团块颗粒小,后两种团块颗粒大。通过选择培养第一种愈伤组织系,建立了３ 个陆地棉栽培品种的高频体细胞胚胎发生系。染色体观察显示：其变异频率随愈伤组织培养代数的增加而升高;３ 种不同的愈伤组织系中,二倍体细胞的频率大小依次为：第一种＞ 第二种＞ 第三种。此外,第一种含有较多的超二倍体细胞,而后两种含较多亚二倍体细胞     

IN VITRO SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS AND REGENERATION OF SOMATIC EMBRYOS FROM PIGMENTED CALLUS OF KAPPAPHYCUS ALVAREZII (DOTY) DOTY (RHODOPHYTA,GIGARTINALES)1

In vitro somatic embryogenesis and regeneration of somatic embryos to whole plants through micropropagules was successfully demonstrated from pigmented uniseriate filamentous callus of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty in axenic cultures. More than 80% of the explants cultured on 1.5% (w/v) agar‐solidified Provasoli enriched seawater (PES) medium showed callus development. The callus induction rate was consistently higher for laboratory‐adapted plants. The excised callus grew well in subcultures and maintained its growth for prolonged periods if transferred to fresh medium in regular intervals. Some subcultured calli (<10%) did undergo transformation and produced densely pigmented spherical or oval‐shaped micropropagules (1–5 mm in diameter) that subsequently developed into young plantlets in liquid PES medium. The micropropagule production was further improved through somatic embryogenesis by a novel method of culturing thin slices of pigmented callus with naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) or a mixture of NAA and 6‐benzylaminopurine. Transfer of embryogenic callus along with tiny somatic embryos to liquid medium and swirling on orbital shaker facilitated rapid growth and morphogenesis of somatic embryos into micropropagules that grew into whole plants in subsequent cultivation in the sea. The daily growth rate of one tissue cultured plant was monitored for seven generations in field and found to be as high as 1.5–1.8 times over farmed plants. The prolific somatic embryogenesis together with high germination potential of somatic embryos observed in this study offers a promising tool for rapid and mass clonal production of seed stock of Kappaphycus for commercial farming.     

ESTABLISHMENT OF FRIABLE EMBRYOGENIC (TYPE II) CALLUS FROM IMMATURE TASSELS OF ZEA MAYS (POACEAE)

Type II callus cultures were initiated from immature tassels of a maize genotype with an A188/B73 genetic background using N6 medium containing 1.0 mg/liter 2,4-D, 100 mg/liter casamino acids, 25 mM proline, and 0.2% phytagel™. Inclusion of 10 μM AgNO₃ in this medium significantly increased the frequency and vigor of the type II callus response. Friable calli emerged from these explants after two consecutive 2-week subculture intervals. Tassels from 10 to 30 mm long were capable of producing type II cultures. The plants regenerated from these cultures were green and indistinguishable from plants regenerated from immature embryo-derived calli.     

PRODUCTION OF ANOMALOUS STRUCTURES IN QUERCUS RUBRA L. CALLUS CULTURES

Internodal stem segments of 2–4-month-old Quercus rubra L. seedlings were cultured on Murashige and Skoog agar medium containing NAA and BA. Structures, termed organoids, were initiated from callus on medium containing 5 mg/1 NAA and 0.1 mg/1 BA. Organoids consisted of parenchymatous cells with a distinct epidermis and a continuous vascular system. Growth occurred principally by cell division throughout the parenchymatous tissue resulting in a variety of morphological shapes. Although no organized shoot meristems were observed, normal roots were produced; such roots were connected to the vascular system of the organoid.     

石刁柏胚乳愈伤组织内胚胎发生的组织细胞学观察

石刁柏(Asparagus officinalis L.)的幼嫩胚乳接种于MS+NAA 5ppm+6-BA 1ppm和MS+NAA 1ppm+6-BA 0.5ppm的培养基上诱导产生愈伤组织。将愈伤组织转移到MS+6-BA 1ppm+NAA 0.5ppm的分化培养基上,培养30天后即可形成胚状体,组织细胞学观察表明:胚状体起源于愈伤组织内或近表层的单个胚性细胞。在胚状体发生的早期阶段,观察到与柳叶菜型和藜型胚胎发育大致相似的细胞分裂方式,从而出现了T型或线型的四个细胞的原胚。在多细胞原胚及球形胚期具有单列或不规则排列的多细胞胚柄。石刁柏胚乳愈伤组织中的胚胎发生是不同步的,在同一块愈伤组织的切片中可以观察到不同发育阶段的胚状体。在外形上还可以观察到一个子叶、两个子叶或四个子叶等多种不同形态的胚状体。一部份胚状体能发育成完整小植株。