Genotype, explant and position effects on organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)

The relative importance of genotype and explant, and their interactionsfor in vitro plant regeneration via both organogenesis and somaticembryogenesis in Solanum melongena (eggplant) has been studied.Hypocotyl, cotyledon and leaf explants of four commerciallygrown Indian cultivars, Pusa Purple Long, Long White Cluster,Pusa Kranti, and Pusa Purple Cluster were used in the study.A combination of benzyladen-ine (11.1 µM) and indoleaceticacid (2.9 µM) was found to be optimum for shoot regeneration.Naphthalene acetic acid induced embryogenesis in all the threeexplants; 32.2µM was optimum for hypocotyl explants while10.7µM yielded maximum number of somatic embryos fromcotyledon and leaf explants. Genotype, explant and genotype-explantinteraction had highly significant effects on both organogenesisand somatic embryogenesis with genotype exerting maximum effecton both these processes. Pusa Purple Long was found to be themost responsive genotype for regeneration of both adventitiousshoots and somatic embryos among the cultivars. Among the explants,hypocotyls yielded the maximum number of adventitious shootsfollowed by cotyledons and leaves. The embryogenic responseof leaves and cotyledons was, however, significantly higherthan that of hypocotyl explants. Significant differences formorphogenetic potential were also observed within a single explant(hypocotyl). There was a basipetal gradient for organogenesis(i.e. decrease in number of shoots from base to apex) whilethe terminal hypocotyl segments showed better embryogenic potentialthan the median segments. Key words: Solarium melongena, organogenesis, somatic embryogenesis, genotype, explant, position effect