`Isubgol' as an alternative gelling agent in plant tissue culture media

`Isubgol', the mucilaginous husk derived from the seeds of Plantago ovata, was successfully used as a gelling agent in tissue culture media for in vitro seed germination, shoot formation and rooting in Syzygium cuminii and anther culture in Datura innoxia. For seed germination, Knop's basal medium supplemented with 1% sucrose was employed, whereas for the development of shoots the epicotyl segments excised from in vitro-developed seedlings were cultured on MS basal medium supplemented with 4% sucrose and 1 mg/l 6-benzyladenine. Shoots that developed from the epicotyl segments were rooted on Knop's medium enriched with 2% sucrose and 1 mg/l indole-3-acetic acid. The anthers of D. innoxia excised at the late uninucleate to early binucleate stages of microspore development were cultured on Nitsch's basal medium containing 2% sucrose. Media were either gelled with 0.9% agar or 3% `Isubgol'. The response on media gelled with `Isubgol' in each of the cases was similar to that on media solidified with agar. Received: 9 October 1996 / Revision received: 22 July 1996 / Accepted: 30 July 1997